Ivorian football icon Didier Drogba and former Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien have publicly supported their former coach, José Mourinho, who is facing accusations of making racist remarks during a recent match.
Turkish club Galatasaray has accused the Fenerbahçe manager of making inappropriate comments during their league clash on Monday. The 62-year-old allegedly referred to the home team’s bench as “jumping like monkeys.” In response, Galatasaray announced plans to take legal action.
However, Fenerbahçe defended Mourinho, arguing that his words were misinterpreted and taken out of context.
Drogba and Essien Stand by Mourinho
Drogba, who played a pivotal role under Mourinho at Chelsea, where they secured consecutive Premier League titles, took to social media to vouch for his former coach.
“I’ve seen the recent comments about José Mourinho. Trust me when I say I’ve known him for 25 years, and he is not a racist. History, both past and recent, proves it,” Drogba wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Ivorian, who also played for Galatasaray, reinforced his support by adding, “How can my ‘Dad’ be a racist?”
Essien also showed solidarity by sharing a nostalgic photo of himself, Drogba, and Mourinho on X and Instagram, accompanied by three heart emojis.
As the controversy unfolds, debates continue, with strong opinions from both sides as the football world awaits further developments.
