Mourinho’s wine gift changed Tiago Margarido’s view of success

A bottle of wine given by José Mourinho had a profound effect on Tiago Margarido and the way he measures success. The coach says the gift and the conversation that came with it gave him one of the most important lessons of his career. He recalled the encounter in the latest episode of “Homem do Leme”, after speaking with Mourinho at La Luz.

Last year, at La Luz, Margarido offered Mourinho a poncha as a welcome, after Mourinho had played against his team in Madeira. Mourinho returned the gesture with a bottle of wine, which Margarido described as quite expensive. At the end of the match, he told the coach he would open it only after winning a title. Mourinho replied that, at that time, securing national survival was his title, and that he should open the bottle if he achieved it.

Margarido has never forgotten that response. He took from it a view of titles that goes beyond winning a championship: “What lesson did I take from that? The person who is champion is not always truly a champion, because every coach has their own objectives. I can be a champion by securing survival or qualifying for Europe. That was a great lesson I learned from José Mourinho.”