His strong personality, drive, forthrightness and penchant for inflammatory comments have made him a controversial figure, but there is no doubt that he gets results. José Mourinho’s high visibility made a partnership with Hublot almost a foregone conclusion.
Although he started out playing professional football in his native Portugal, Mourinho soon switched to coaching. Over the course of his career he has managed some of the world’s greatest football clubs, including FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, and is now preparing to place his tactical skills at the service of English club Manchester United.
Every team he has coached has gone on to win their national championship or league cup. He won the UEFA Europa League and two Champions Leagues with FC Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010. Over the course of the 2009-2010 season he coached Inter Milan to a treble victory, and was rewarded with the title of FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2011, the equivalent of the Ballon d’Or for managers.
José Mourinho, who graduated from Lisbon University with a Masters in Law, Economics and Sports Management, is considered by many to be one of the best tacticians in the world. Euro 2016 may be over for England, but it gives the coach a head start on his preparations for the forthcoming Premier League season. After three mediocre seasons under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, Manchester United is counting on the Portuguese coach to lift them out of the doldrums. When he arrived in London last Sunday, José Mourinho declared: “I am here. United we can!”
King Power “Special One”
In order to celebrate the partnership and pay tribute to José Mourinho, the Nyon watchmaker has produced a King Power “Special One”. The timepiece is powerful, elegant and sporty with an unusually large 48 mm diameter. Its carbon fibre bezel is in the coach’s favourite colour, a captivating shade of dark blue. The colour is directly incorporated into the fibres as they go into the mould, before pressure is applied, making the hue an integral part of the material. The counters, hands and minutes track are in the same shade.
At its heart beats the Unico manufacture chronograph movement, which is entirely designed, developed and assembled by Hublot. This self-winding flyback chronograph movement gives the timepiece a power reserve of 72 hours. Fitted with an adjustable strap in blue alligator lined with black rubber, the watch also features José Mourinho’s signature on the caseback. Two versions are available: one in titanium and the other in King Gold, Hublot’s proprietary red gold alloy which contains 5% platinum.
