Jose Mourinho discusses culture, children’s future, corruption in Turkish football

Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Fenerbahce, was awarded the prestigious “Project of the Year” award for his project “Our Dreams Are One for Children” at the “Aydinlik Gelecek Odulleri” (The Bright Future Awards) ceremony.

The ceremony, held at the Caddebostan Culture Center, was attended by Fenerbahce’s board member Kemal Danabas, along with Mourinho, team captain Dusan Tadic, and athletes from various amateur sports branches.

Mourinho shared his passion for learning about the culture and values of the countries he works in, stating that he enjoys understanding how the people of each nation should be loved and respected. However, when confronted with what he perceives as negative aspects, he doesn’t hesitate to take a stand.

Mourinho’s strong stand on children’s future in Türkiye

During his acceptance speech, the Portuguese coach expressed his admiration for Türkiye, acknowledging the country’s deep-rooted culture and the importance of nurturing its children. He emphasized that he does not want the children of Türkiye to grow up in a sport that is marred by corruption.

“Whenever I go to a new country, I try to embrace it, learn about it,” Mourinho said. “The foundation of a country is its children. This project is very close to my heart, especially after the national tragedy that impacted everyone in the country. When it comes to children, it touches everyone’s hearts in a much deeper way.”

Jose Mourinho calls for fair and clean sports

Mourinho made a powerful statement about his commitment to clean sports. “I fight against things I do not like. I don’t want the children growing up in this country to be part of a corrupt sport,” he remarked. “The only way to combat this is to compete fairly and cleanly.”

The Fenerbahce head coach emphasized that the award was not for him personally but for the club, recognizing the incredible initiatives and values the club stands for. “This award is not for me. It’s for our great club. We have a fantastic club, and I have simply been the face of these initiatives,” he added.