Mourinho (M) with Essien (R) when he visited Ghana back in 2007
Long before his fiery press conferences and touchline antics became football folklore, José Mourinho once made headlines in Ghana for something far more profound – a humanitarian mission.
In May 2007, the then Chelsea manager led the English club’s first-ever humanitarian visit to Africa, with Ghana as their chosen destination.
The trip, made in partnership with Right to Play, an athlete-driven international charity, aimed to use sport as a tool for child development and empowerment.
Mourinho, together with eight Chelsea players and club officials, touched down in Accra on May 29, 2007, for a week-long working visit that took them to both Accra and Tamale. Ghana’s own Michael Essien, a Right to Play ambassador, was a key figure in organising the trip.
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During their stay, the Chelsea contingent held a media briefing, conducted a coaching clinic at the El-Wak Stadium, and travelled north to Tamale to engage with children benefiting from the charity’s programs.
They later returned to Accra for the Right to Play Day celebration at Efua Sutherland Park.
At the time, Chelsea had just entered a six-year partnership with Right to Play, pledging to raise over £2 million to support humanitarian work across 22 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Mourinho expressed deep pride in the project, calling football a universal language that transcends barriers.
“Everyone at the club is fully behind the work of Right To Play. Sport, particularly football, has a certain power. It is a world language. If you’re in London, Lisbon, or Accra, once you put down two shirts for a goal and start kicking a ball, everyone understands. There’s no need to explain it,” he said.
That 2007 trip marked Mourinho’s first visit to Ghana, but not his last. He returned in 2008 during the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana, and again in June 2013 to support Michael Essien’s charity game in Accra.
Nearly two decades later, many Ghanaians still remember “The Special One” on Ghanaian soil, sharing smiles and football with children whose dreams stretched as far as Stamford Bridge.
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