The Portuguese coach questioned Hossam Hassan's statements following his team's elimination from the World Cup and stated that defeats should be explained based on the performance of the team itself
After the agonizing qualification of the Argentine National Team against Egypt, Hossam Hassan, coach of the African team, implied that the Albiceleste had been favored to advance to the quarter-finalsof the 2026 World Cup. His statements were harshly criticized by several voices, among which José Mourinho stood out, who outright rejected those claims and called for focusing the analysis on what happened on the field.
The newly appointed coach of the Real Madrid believed that, after letting a two-goal lead slip away, the first obligation of a coaching staff is to engage in self-criticism before seeking external explanations. "When you lose a match after being ahead 2-0, the first analysis should be about your own team, not about conspiracies", he stated.
In the same vein, Mourinho emphasized that a coach's responsibility lies in reviewing their own decisions before questioning the context of the match. "As a coach, you must look at what you could have done better before pointing fingers at others", he added.
Mourinho asked Hassan to engage in self-criticism
The Portuguese was also critical of arguments pointing to alleged refereeing or institutional favoritism and maintained that such accusations divert attention from what is truly important. "I don't like this kind of excuse. Saying that the tournament is designed to favor a team or a player diverts attention from football. If you believe you were treated unfairly, present the facts. If not, accept the result and move on", he expressed.
To conclude, Mourinho insisted that the explanation for a defeat should primarily be sought in the performance of one's own team and not in factors external to the game. "Football is decided by what happens on the field. If your team cannot protect a two-goal lead, that is where the discussion should start. Coaches must take responsibility, especially after painful defeats. That is part of the job", he concluded.
