“Referees are afraid to award penalties to Chelsea” - Premier League 2014-2025 season. After Chelsea's 1-3 loss to Southampton, Mourinho claimed referees were hesitant to award penalties to Chelsea. An FA panel concluded that this statement implied questioning the impartiality of referee Robert Madley. Mourinho was fined nearly 70,000 USD and received a one-match stadium ban, which was suspended.

Most recently, in the Madrid derby on 20/9, after Real Madrid's 1-2 loss to Atletico, Mourinho brought printed controversial incidents to the press conference. He argued that Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in deserved red cards. Mourinho questioned the experience of referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias and suggested he was affected by match pressure. The Spanish Refereeing Committee admitted Arias erred by not sending off Lee Kang-in but defended other decisions.

In the 2023 Europa League final, Mourinho abused referee Anthony Taylor. After Roma's loss to Sevilla in a penalty shootout, Mourinho publicly criticized a series of Taylor's decisions, describing the refereeing in the match as a "scandal." The incident escalated when Mourinho waited for Taylor in the Puskas Arena parking area and continued to loudly criticize him. This became one of the most prominent direct confrontations with a referee in Mourinho's career.

Mourinho faced repeated confrontations with referees in Turkey during his time managing Fenerbahce. After the Trabzonspor match on 3/11/2024, where two opposing penalties resulted from video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, Mourinho specifically attacked VAR referee Atilla Karaoglan. He also complained about Bright Osayi-Samuel not being awarded a penalty. Mourinho further stated that the Turkish Super Lig "smelled" and questioned the quality and conduct of refereeing. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) concluded that Mourinho's statements violated the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play, damaged the TFF's reputation, and contained unsubstantiated accusations against referees. He subsequently received a one-match ban from the dressing room and technical area, along with a 13,000 USD fine.

On 24/2/2025, after Fenerbahce's 0-0 draw with Galatasaray, Mourinho praised Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic but continued to criticize Turkish referees. The TFF deemed part of his statement insulting to referees and another part accusing Turkish football of being in a state of "chaos and disorganization."

During his tenure managing Manchester United in 2016, Mourinho had incidents with referees Anthony Taylor and Mark Clattenburg. Before the Liverpool match, Mourinho stated that the appointment of Anthony Taylor, a referee living in the Manchester area, put Taylor in a "difficult" position. The Football Association (FA) fined him 65,000 USD for pre-match comments about the referee. Not long after, referee Mark Clattenburg sent Mourinho to the stands during a draw against Burnley. He received an additional one-match touchline ban and a fine of nearly 12,000 USD.

In the 2014-2015 Premier League season, Mourinho claimed there was a "campaign against Chelsea." After a 1-1 draw with Southampton at the end of 2014, Mourinho stated there was a campaign to influence referees and Chelsea. The FA subsequently fined the Portuguese coach approximately 40,000 USD. Mourinho later reiterated that Chelsea and he were treated differently compared to other clubs and coaches.

One of Mourinho's most intense incidents in England was confronting Jon Moss in the referee's room after Chelsea's match against West Ham in 2015. During halftime, he entered referee Moss's room to question a series of decisions. According to Moss's report, Mourinho became enraged, used abusive language, and twice refused to leave the referee's room. The FA fined him nearly 60,000 USD and issued a one-match stadium ban, meaning he was prohibited from even being in the technical area.

In the 2005 Champions League match between Chelsea and Barcelona, Mourinho accused Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of contacting referee Anders Frisk during halftime, linking it to Didier Drogba's red card. He described Chelsea's 1-2 defeat in the first leg of the round of 16 as a "distorted" result. The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) later deemed these statements false and unfounded, banning Mourinho for two matches. Frisk subsequently retired early after receiving threats from fans, though UEFA did not hold Mourinho personally responsible for the German referee's decision to retire.

The famous “Por que?” (Why) incident occurred during the 2011 Champions League match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. After Real Madrid's 0-2 loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the semi-finals and Pepe's red card, Mourinho repeatedly questioned why Barcelona often had an advantage at crucial moments in the Champions League. He also mentioned UEFA and Barcelona's connection with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). UEFA sanctioned Mourinho with a five-match ban in European competitions, with the fifth match suspended for a three-year probationary period, and a fine of approximately 60,000 USD.

Compiled by Ngoc Tuan