Twenty years ago, in 2005, Chelsea won their first Premier League title under Jose Mourinho. It is still regarded as one of the most important events in the history of Stamford Bridge.
In 2005, Chelsea under Jose Mourinho clinched their maiden Premier League title. He brought a new dimension to Stamford Bridge during the 2004-05 campaign, focusing on team unity and rigorous training.
Following his success in leading Porto to lift the Champions League, he ushered in a new era of glory for the Blues. Claude Makelele, the one player who made his mark on the team, reflected on Mourinho’s influence and likened him to a father for the team. He told the BBC:
“He’s like a father with a strong character and a dictator. I think he understands he needed to do this because he had a young talent, and also discipline, and also competitive. They’d [Chelsea] never won a strong trophy, and it didn’t need to be like this. He realised he could get a lot from this group of players.
“He knew he would make success because he saw the character, he saw that. We’d come in the dressing room and the training ground with happiness, every single day. And when you have the players like this, maybe you will not win straight away, but you will have success, you will win trophies. I think he knew this.”
In just his first year in charge, Mourinho’s Blues conceded only 15 goals, a record that stands to this day. Makelele, who had just moved from Real Madrid a year before, was crucial. He gave midfield stability that allowed players such as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba to flourish.
Why Did Jose Mourinho Leave Chelsea in 2007?
In September 2007, Jose Mourinho left Stamford Bridge. Two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two League Cups were among the club’s three incredible years. But in the end, he departed.
Mourinho and Roman Abramovich, the club’s previous owner, had a tense relationship for a while. Their working relationship had been friendly, but it gradually soured, and they agreed to a mutual termination of his contract.
However, he returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013 for a second appearance. This time, however, Chelsea ended his contract in December 2015, only seven months after winning the Premier League.
For a team that had previously been the defending champions at the beginning of a season, it appeared that a crisis had arrived after they lost nine games out of their first 16. Even though he had led the Blues to a third league title, the subsequent drop cemented the decision for his second departure.
