Jose Mourinho once explained he threw his runners-up medal to an Arsenal fan.
The Special One, who is poised to return to Real Madrid as head coach this summer, hasn’t had the best relationship with Arsenal over the course of his managerial career.
That largely stems from his clashes with legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during his time as Chelsea boss. Mourinho famously called Wenger a “specialist in failure” and a “voyeur” among other derogatory names at the height of their rivalry.
"It doesn't bother me. It's permanent provocation,” Wenger commented after Mourinho said the reason the Frenchman didn’t mention him in his 2020 autobiography is because the former Arsenal manager “never beat me.”
Wenger added: “I feel like I'm in kindergarten with him. But that's part of his personality."
Mourinho Threw Runners-Up Medal to Arsenal Fan
Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho
Wenger managed to get one over Mourinho in the 2015 Community Shield at Wembley. His Arsenal side secured the trophy thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first half goal.
Mourinho made headlines after the final by throwing his runners-up medal to an Arsenal fan in the crowd. Watch the footage below:
"I don't want the medal," Mourinho said in his post-match press conference. "I don't keep the ones I win, so what do you think about the ones I lose?!"
The revered Portuguese coach added: "It’s the medal for the loser, it’s a good memory for him.
“Chelsea was the best team, had the more initiative, had good control, good ball possession.
“But you know it is that moment of the season where everyone is behind - the energy, the intensity to turn results is more difficult because people are not sharp, and don’t have intensity.”
Arsenal Fan Who Got Mourinho's Medal Spoke Out
Jose Mourinho
The medal was gladly received by young Arsenal fan Bobby Gill, who was only 10 years old at the time.
Speaking to the Coventry Telegraph after his reaction was broadcast on TV, Bobby said, per the Mirror: “Mourinho was walking down to the tunnel, I threw my tissue down by accident and then he threw the medal box up at me, then I caught it.
“I just couldn’t believe it. I knew that he was giving it to me because he didn’t want a loser’s medal.
“He just wants to win, it was obvious he felt he didn’t want it any more. I thought it was quite a good thing that he did. It is the bestest memory ever.”
This wasn’t the first time Mourinho had thrown a medal into the crowd. Back in 2006, after Chelsea secured their second successive Premier League title, Mourinho allegedly chucked Robert Huth’s medal towards the home fans at Stamford Bridge.