Granted a fortnight of freedom by the ongoing international lull, Jose Mourinho returned home to Portugal to receive a special honour on Tuesday.
In gratitude for his services to football, the Manchester United manager now has a street named after him in his hometown of Setubal.
As revealed by Setubal mayor Maria das Dores Meira, the ‘Rua da Saude’ (which translates as ‘Health Street’) will henceforth officially be known as ‘Avenida Jose Mourinho’….
Cristiano gets an airport, José gets a street. “Avenida José Mourinho” inaugurated in his home town of Setúbal yesterday. pic.twitter.com/dyjwXasIeP
— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) October 4, 2017
Discussing the accolade on the United website, Mourinho said:
If you ask me, if I’m grateful, excited and proud, yes of course I am. I say yes to everything.
But I still want to come to Setubal and be who I am. I come to Setubal because I love Setubal. I have my mother and I feel closer to my father. I come to Setubal because my children have never lived here and love Setubal as much or more than I do.
Setubal remains the only city where I feel like myself, where I feel [like] Ze Mario [his Portuguese nickname], where I walk on the street and people treat me like I like to be treated.
Plenty of space for parking busses, or so we’ve heard.
Narf.