Gary Lineker reveals Jose Mourinho text after mysterious row – ‘I don’t think it was that friendly’
Gary Lineker has shared that he received a text from Jose Mourinho after a mysterious disagreement, jokingly adding, “I don’t think it was that friendly”.
The two football figures used to be quite close, often exchanging texts and compliments. However, their friendship took a hit in 2015 during Mourinho’s second stint with Chelsea.
The tension began when Lineker was told that Mourinho didn’t want him to present the Man of the Year award at the GQ Awards.
To this day, Lineker insists he has “no idea” why they fell out. He recalls being surprised by Mourinho’s request for a non-football person to present the award and his cold behaviour at the event.
“I do not know to this day whether it was something I said on Match of the Day, I genuinely have no idea.
I interviewed him subsequently and he was very cold,” said Lineker (as per the Sun).
Mourinho continued to show frustration towards Lineker during his time as Manchester United manager.
During his two-year stint at Old Trafford, the ex-Tottenham boss sent then United CEO Ed Woodward an angry text asking him why he was talking to the England legend after a Champions League game.
Lineker has since moved on but the matter was brought up while he recorded an episode for the popular podcast show The Rest is Football with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
The famous pundit told Richards, 35, that as he gets older he will have less friends in football.
Lineker explained: “You’ll find Micah, as you get older, you’ll have fewer and fewer mates to actually give a monkey’s.
” The Manchester City hero responded: “Speaking of mates, has Mourinho text you back or is he still not your mate?”
Lineker revealed that despite their mysterious public fallout, Mourinho did send him a bizarre text. The former Tottenham star replied: “He did text me back, he did.
He said, ‘Hugs’.”
Richards commented: “Tell him to get his f*****g a**e on here then..” Lineker, though, kindly declined as he joked: “I don’t think it was that friendly.”
