01 January 2023 , 23:25
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Sam Mendes believes Jose Mourinho would make a good villain in a James Bond movie, insisting there's no one better suited to the job.
Mourinho has a reputation for being one of football's most charismatic figures after a successful 30-year career in coaching. According to Mendes, the Portuguese's antics in press conferences have set him in good stead for one of Hollywood's biggest roles.
And there are few people better suited to comment on the matter than Mendes, who directed successful Bond films Skyfall and Spectre . The former movie was named the Best British Film at the 2013 BAFTA awards, a rare feat for a Bond film to achieve.
Mendes was asked who would make a good Bond villain in an interview with The Guardian. "Jose Mourinho," he replied. "You can’t get better than that can you?"
Mourinho has been described as the pantomime villain of football before. He's endured rows with the likes of Rafa Benitez, Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Luke Shaw and Arsene Wenger during his career - once calling the latter a "specialist in failure".
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The self-proclaimed "Special One" has also celebrated in front of rival fans and argued with journalists on a number of occasions. "I fight for the club and I don't care about my image and I don't care about any consequences," Mourinho told beIN Sports in 2019.
Sam Mendes is one of Britain's most successful film directors (Getty Images)Do you think Jose Mourinho would make a good Bond villain? Let us know in the comments below!
Yet Mourinho's controversial style has been hugely successful. He's won 26 trophies in management - including two Champions Leagues, two Europa Leagues and the Europa Conference League. He's also lifted eight league titles in four different countries.
Mourinho will step back into the limelight in January, as Roma's season resumes following the World Cup in Qatar and the winter break. The Italian giants are seventh in Serie A - three points behind local rivals Lazio in fourth - and are looking to qualify for the Champions League.
Roma are also seeking success in the Coppa Italia and Europa League. They face Geona in the last 16 of the former competition, while their opponents in Europe are Red Bull Salzburg. Winning either tournament would be deemed as a great success for Mourinho's side.
Mourinho could be available for the Bond gig if Roma fail to win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League, but he's more likely to become the next Portugal manager than appear on the silver screen. He's been tipped to succeeded Fernando Santos in the job.
As for Mendes, the British film legend has directed several successful movies during his career, including American Beauty , Jarhead , Revolutionary Road and 1917 . The Oscar winner's latest film - Empire of Light - hits cinemas later this month.
It's unclear when the next Bond film will be released. The most recent movie - No Time to Die - was released in 2021 and featured Daniel Craig in his final appearance as the titular character. A new Bond - and a new villain - are yet to be announced.