Sports
Tug of Words: Everything Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have ever said about each other
It was a slow burner for a while, but the rivalry between Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho and Chelsea chief Antonio Conte has really ramped up in the last few weeks.
The Portuguese and the Italian have gone head-to-head as they’ve traded insults on hair transplants, match-fixing and being a “clown” – and the war of words can be traced back to the beginning of last season.
Here’s a timeline of just what they’ve said about each other.
And there’s a lot of it.
October 2016 – Mourinho accuses Conte of “humiliating” him with celebrations after Chelsea beat United 4-0
Italian TV reportedly caught Mourinho saying: “You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it’s humiliating for us.”
November 2016 – With Victor Moses shining in his team as a right wing-back, Conte wonders why Mourinho constantly overlooked the Nigerian and sent him out on loan
“I noticed his potential from the first days of the summer retreat,” Conte told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Moses has important qualities: technique, physical strength, the ability to cover seventy metres of the pitch. I find it incredible that someone like him has been overlooked.”
February 2017 – Chelsea sit top of the league, but Mourinho calls them “a defensive team”
“Chelsea are a very good defensive team.
“They defend very well and with lots of players and I think in this situation a very defensive team wins the title with counter-attack goals and set-pieces goals, so I don’t think they will let it slip but football is football.”
March 2017 – Ander Herrera is sent off as Chelsea beat United 1-0 in the FA Cup, with Blues fans baiting Mourinho and calling him “Judas”
“The fans can call me what they want.
“I am a professional. I defend my club. Until the moment [Chelsea] have a manager that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I’m the No1. When they have somebody who wins four Premier Leagues for them, I’ll be No2. For this moment, ‘Judas’ is No1.”
Conte on United’s treatment of Eden Hazard in the same game
“We’ve got to play football but for 25 minutes it was impossible for Hazard to play football.
“I see only that he got a lot of kicks. Only kicking. He started the game receiving kicks, and he finished receiving kicks.
“This is not football for me. I don’t think this can be a tactic. This is the truth. Everyone saw this. I think sometimes, when you play against players with great talent, you try and intimidate these players. I think the referee must protect this type of player. What happens if they are put out with a bad injury?”
April 2017 – Conte criticises Manchester United’s spending
“I think this season it’s very important to understand that it’s not always who spends more money who wins.
“Otherwise, in this league this season, the name of the team (who would win the title) wasn’t Chelsea or Tottenham or Arsenal or Liverpool. You understand?
“This season isn’t the only season the Manchester clubs have spent a lot of money. Look at the past. It’s normal.”
July 2017 – Conte hopes to avoid “a Mourinho season” at Chelsea after winning the league, Mourinho responds with a dig about Conte’s hair transplant
“Two years ago Chelsea finished 10th. That cannot happen again. We know the difficulty and for sure we want to avoid the Mourinho season with Chelsea.
“The coaches of the previous two champions [Chelsea and Leicester] both lost their jobs [the next season] and we are working very well to find the best solutions and use them.”
Mourinho responds with: “I don’t know. I could answer in many different ways but I’m not going to lose my hair to speak about Antonio Conte.”
October 2017 – Mourinho takes a swipe at Conte for “always talking about injuries” – with Conte responding by claiming his rival is obsessed by Chelsea
“I never speak about injuries. Other managers, they cry, they cry, they cry when a player is injured.
“I don’t cry; I think the way to do it is ignore the players who are injured and focus on the players that are available. If I want to moan and cry like the others, I can cry for the next five minutes. But I don’t.”
Conte replies with: “I think he has to think about his team and start looking at himself, not others. I think that, a lot of times, Mourinho [likes to concentrate on] what is happening at Chelsea. A lot of times, also last season. [He has] to think about his team.”
January 2018 – Mourinho refers to Conte’s often manic celebrations on the touchline, calling him a “clown”, with Conte hitting back by accusing his rival of being “demenza senile”
“Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I lost my passion,” he said.
“I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself, I don’t think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion.”
Conte responds: “I think he has to see himself in the past – maybe he was speaking about himself in the past. Maybe, sometimes, I think that someone forgets what’s said in the past, which is his behaviour,” he said.
“Sometimes I think there is, I don’t know the name, but demenza senile… when you forget what you do in the past.”
January 2018 – Mourinho refers to Conte’s match-fixing suspension
“What never happened to me – and will never happen – is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and will never happen.”
January 2018 – Conte calls Mourinho “a little man”
I think when there are these types of comments, comments where you try to offend the person and don’t know the truth, then you are a little man,” he said.
“In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, he’s a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future. I consider him a little man and I consider him a man with a very low profile.”
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Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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