The Special One: Jose Mourinho at Chelsea 2004-2007

“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.”

With those words, José Mourinho announced himself to English football, and from that day on, he was known as “The Special One.”

It was June 2004, and Chelsea had just appointed the brash Portuguese manager fresh off a historic run with FC Porto. In just two seasons, he led the Portuguese side to a domestic double, a UEFA Cup triumph, and the 2004 UEFA Champions League title.

At Stamford Bridge, Mourinho inherited a squad brimming with potential but lacking silverware. Chelsea hadn’t won a Premier League title in 50 years.

Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s ambitious owner, had already spent lavishly to bring the club into English football’s elite. But it was Mourinho who would turn Chelsea into winners. Over the next three seasons, he would build a dynasty and redefine the Premier League.

Chelsea Dominates English Football (2004-2005)

Mourinho’s impact was instantaneous. Chelsea were built on an impenetrable defense, marshaled by captain John Terry and new signing Ricardo Carvalho. With Claude Makélélé shielding the backline and the arrival of Didier Drogba up front, Chelsea became an unstoppable force. 

A key tactical adjustment by Mourinho shifted the squad from a 4-diamond-2 to a 4-3-3 setup. The narrow midfield setup to a more dynamic three-man midfield unlocked the team’s full potential, giving them greater width, defensive stability and attacking fluidity.

The 2004-05 season was among the most successful for a squad in the league’s history. Chelsea won 29 of their 38 games, conceding just 15 goals—a defensive record that still stands. They stormed to their first league title in 50 years, finishing with a staggering 95 points. They also beat Liverpool 3-2 to secure the League Cup. 

Mourinho’s side was disciplined, ruthless and impossible to break down. Beyond the statistics, his mind games with rival managers made headlines. He outwitted Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal, ended Manchester United’s dominance and famously silenced Liverpool’s Anfield crowd with his “shush” gesture after a League Cup final victory. 

He was both a tactician and a provocateur. And football fans couldn’t get enough. 

Back-to-Back Champions (2005-2006)

In the 2005-06 season, Chelsea and Mourinho proved that their record-breaking season was more than a one-off victory. They were the undisputed kings of English football. 

They won their first nine games and never looked back. Their dominance was so complete that they wrapped up the title with three games to spare, finishing eight points ahead of Manchester United.

This was Mourinho at his peak. 

His team played physical, counter-attacking football, devastating opponents with tactical efficiency. Mourinho nurtured his top players and ensured they executed his vision with precision. He turned Drogba into a world-class striker and gave Frank Lampard the freedom to become Chelsea’s top scorer from midfield. 

He had built a winning machine that was nearly unbeatable.

They finished the campaign with 91 points, winning 29 of their 38 league matches and keeping 25 clean sheets. Their biggest statement win came on April 29, 2006, when they crushed Manchester United 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to clinch the title. 

Cracks Appear (2006-2007)

But football dynasties rarely last forever.

The 2006-07 season saw tensions emerge between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich. Chelsea’s owner wanted more flair, while Mourinho demanded control. Injuries to key players like Petr Čech and Joe Cole disrupted Chelsea’s rhythm.

Despite tensions, Mourinho was more confident than ever, and his brashness began to border on arrogance. He set an unrealistic goal for Chelsea to win a “quadruple” (all four major trophies), something that no English football club had ever done.

They won the FA Cup and League Cup, but the Premier League slipped away to Manchester United. In Europe, they fell short again, losing to Liverpool in the Champions League semifinals on penalties. 

Overall, the season was a stellar one that added to Chelsea’s trophy case. But Mourinho had set a high bar, and Chelsea fell short of the success achieved in the previous two seasons, leaving both him and the club disappointed.

With growing friction behind the scenes and a lack of new signings to refresh the squad, speculation about Mourinho’s future loomed. As the 2007-08 season began, Chelsea struggled to dominate as they once had, winning just three of their first 6 games, with an embarrassing loss to Aston Villa.

After a disappointing draw against Rosenborg in the Champions League, the inevitable happened.

The End of an Era

In September 2007, after just six games of the new season, Mourinho and Chelsea parted ways by mutual consent. 

Players were devastated, and fans were heartbroken. After everything Mourinho had achieved, it seemed he was cast out at the first sign of distress—a ruthless decision that overshadowed his success.

But the truth was that Mourinho’s departure wasn’t just about results. It was about clashing philosophies. He was a perfectionist, and he wanted Chelsea built in his image. Abramovich, however, had different ideas for the club’s future.

His last five games in charge hinted at the turmoil behind the scenes – unconvincing wins, dropped points and growing discontent. 

But even in those moments, Mourinho had left a legacy that would never be erased.

The Legacy of The Special One at Chelsea

Jose Mourinho left Chelsea a dominant team with a full case of trophies. His major accomplishments include: 

• Two Premier League titles in three seasons
• Two League Cups and an FA Cup
• He built one of the greatest defensive units in Premier League history

Many of the records set by Chelsea and Mourinho still stand today, over 20 years later: 

• Record for Fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season (15)
• Record for Most clean sheets in a Premier League season (25)
• Record for Longest unbeaten home run in the Premier League (86)

More than anything, he made Chelsea believe. Before Mourinho, Chelsea were contenders. After him, they were serial winners. 

Though he left in 2007, his influence endured. Chelsea would go on to win the Champions League in 2012. And in 2013, he returned to Chelsea for a second spell, winning another Premier League title in 2015.

But it was his first reign—2004 to 2007—that defined him. The swagger, the dominance, the mind games, the trophies. It was Mourinho at his brilliant best.

He had arrived in England calling himself “The Special One”. And by the time he left, no one could argue otherwise.