Renowned Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, has urged his compatriot, Jose Peseiro, to etch his name in history during Sunday’s AFCON 2023 final clash between Nigeria and hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
Peseiro has defied the skeptics, showcasing his managerial prowess by guiding the Eagles to the pinnacle of this year’s tournament. Despite a lackluster start in Group A against Equatorial Guinea, Peseiro’s team embarked on an impressive winning streak, triumphing in five consecutive matches while conceding a mere two goals.
Now, Peseiro and the Eagles face the Ivory Coast, who secured their spot in the knockout stage as one of the four best third-placed teams. A victory against Côte d’Ivoire would make Peseiro the first Portuguese coach ever to claim an AFCON title.
Prior to the highly anticipated match, Jose Mourinho expressed his thoughts in a video interview on X platform.
“My best friend in football is in the final, the Nigerian coach is my best friend, he grew up with me.
“We studied together, we went to university the same day, we spent five years together everyday, we left at the same time. He’s probably my biggest friend in football.
“Jose (Peseiro) my big friend and for him a huge opportunity to make history because no Portuguese coach has won the African Cup of Nations.“