After Sporting-Benfica, Luis Figo on José Mourinho: he's at a rival... | OneFootball

Luís Figo, speaking at a press conference on the eve of the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards gala, commented on several current topics in world football, among them José Mourinho and the relationship he maintains with the Benfica coach.

"José is a friend and was my coach at Inter. He is someone I value very highly and for whom I have great affection and friendship, and he will always be an asset to any team he is with," he began by saying when asked by the newspaper A Bola.

"His impact in Portugal is very good, because of his quality, his way of seeing football, and his experience. He is at a rival of my team, which is Sporting, whom he just beat, so the situation is a bit complicated," Luís Figo pointed out, recalling Benfica’s win over the Lions last Sunday.

As for Sporting’s derby defeat, Figo admitted that "the title became more difficult" for the Lions, although "you should never lose hope while there is life." In closing, the former player wished the Special One luck, except against his old club: "Not against Sporting, but as a friend and as a reference, I’m happy that he is happy."

It is worth remembering that Luís Figo was coached by José Mourinho - - at Inter Milan in the 2008/09 season, precisely the last of his career as a professional footballer.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.