Jose Mourinho accused of racism in Türkiye: strong defence from former world football star who calls Portuguese coach "my father"

Former Ivorian striker Didier Drogba and his former Ghanaian teammate at Chelsea Michael Essien defended their former coach Jose Mourinho on Wednesday, who has been accused of racist remarks by Turkish club Galatasaray .

The Portuguese coach, currently at Fenerbahce , said on Monday that the Galatasaray bench had reacted by "jumping like monkeys" after a refereeing decision during a heated derby between the two Istanbul clubs.

Galatasaray, the current leader of the Turkish championship, immediately declared its intention to sue the Portuguese, while Fenerbahce said in response that its coach's comments were "completely taken out of context (...)" and that "they cannot in any way be considered racist."

"I've seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Believe me when I say that I've known Jose for 25 years and he's not racist and history (past and present) is there to prove it," wrote Didier Drogba , who played for three years under Mourinho at Chelsea, on social media X.

"How could my 'father' be racist?" added the Ivorian, who played for Galatasaray and won over its fans.

Drogba is considered one of the most iconic footballers in the history of African football. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast , on March 11, 1978, he grew up in a humble family and emigrated to France at just 5 years old. His football career began to stand out at Le Mans , where he attracted attention for his physical strength and goalscoring ability.

Dear @GalatasaraySK You know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!! We all know how passionate and heated rivalries can be, and I've been lucky enough to experience it.

Ive seen the recent comments about Jose…

— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) February 26, 2025

His big breakthrough came at Olympique de Marseille , with whom he reached the Champions League final in 2004. However, it was at English club Chelsea where Drogba established himself as a true legend. Since his arrival in 2004, his impact was immediate, and with his 157 goals in 341 games, he became the London club's all-time top scorer .

Drogba was a key player in Chelsea's success, particularly in the 2012 Champions League final, where he scored the equalising goal and then the decisive penalty, leading his team to European glory for the first time.

Throughout his career, Drogba also excelled with the Ivory Coast national team, leading them to several World Cups, including the 2006 World Cup against Argentina, and winning the African Cup of Nations in 2015.

Like Drogba, Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien also defended Mourinho on X and Instagram, posting a photo in which he appears alongside Drogba and the Portuguese, accompanied by three hearts.

With information from Agencies