Ex-Man Utd and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho reveals Rafael Nadal could have been an elite footballer if not for tennis
JOSE MOURINHO once revealed Rafael Nadal could have been an elite FOOTBALLER.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss worked with Rafa’s uncle Miguel Angel Nadal during their days together at Barcelona in the 1990s.
Mourinho was employed as a translator before becoming an assistant boss at Nou Camp under Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal.
The 59-year-old now-Roma chief, who knew the Nadal family well, is a big tennis fan and is often spotted at Wimbledon and Queen’s.
Nadal, 36, has won 22 Grand Slam titles and is considered among the leading tennis players of all time.
Asked about Rafa’s tennis achievements, Mourinho lifted the lid on his footballing skills, revealing: “He is incredible.
“I am happy he didn’t, but he could also have been a fantastic football player.
“His uncle was my player in Barcelona in 1996. I know that Rafa can play football and well.
“So he could have played with his physicality, mentality, and his skill, too. He could be.
“Thank you so much he wasn’t. Because in tennis he is what he is.”
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Miguel Angel played more than 200 games for the Catalan giants between 1991 and 1999 in between long spells with Mallorca.
He also played 62 games for the Spanish national team, while Rafa has won the Davis Cup – the World Cup of tennis – four times.
Nadal has battled injuries throughout his stellar career and suffers from Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, an incurable and chronic condition in his foot.
He considered retiring at the end of last year when he had surgery before incredibly bouncing back to win the Australian Open for his record-breaking Grand Slam No21.
He then went one step further by winning his 22nd Grand Slam title at the French Open just four months later.
However, the Spaniard is well aware he is in the latter stages of his life on the tennis tour – and does not know how long he has left to compete before his body says enough is enough.
So the King of Clay is taking nothing for granted ahead of his return to Wimbledon this week.
Nadal said: “Of course, the treatment that I did didn’t fix my injury, not improving my injury at all, but can take out a little bit the pain. That’s the main goal.
“Honestly, I feel happy because the toughest thing is when you have too much pain — not playing tennis.
“Tennis is the second part of your life. Probably the toughest part is having pain on your life on a daily basis.
“If you don’t have pain outside of the tennis, it’s fine. Maybe you don’t play tennis.
“But the problem that I have is I have pain walking every single day. That sometimes affects your happiness… and how the attitude is not positive all the time.
“That’s all. Positive now. Let’s see what can happen in the future.”
He added: “Past is past. Sport and life goes so quick. I am not a big fan of living on the things that you achieved because sport doesn’t give you that time to keep thinking on the things that happened.”