Ibrahimovic recalls Mourinho half-time blast that fired Inter win and Serie A honours | OneFootball

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revisited a ferocious half-time dressing down from José Mourinho during his Inter days, recounted in Netflix’s three-episode documentary "MOURINHO".

According to Glorioso 1904, the incident came in 2008/09 when Inter, already champions, hosted Atalanta on matchday 38 and went in at 2-2. Ibrahimovic said Mourinho told him he should feel ashamed collecting the Serie A player of the year award the following day given his first-half display.

The striker described being stunned, then returning after the break with fierce competitive focus. He said it changed his mindset and credited Mourinho’s ability to get into a player’s head, adding that he respected the way the coach knew how to motivate him.

Inter won 4-3, with Ibrahimovic scoring twice. He finished the campaign as the league’s top scorer, adding that honour to the player of the year award.

Mourinho later managed Ibrahimovic again at Manchester United from 2016 to 2018. The Portuguese coach left Benfica at the end of 2025/26 to return to Real Madrid for 15 million euros, the value of his release clause, signing through to 2029.

Source: Glorioso 1904

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