John Terry recalled how a powerful phone call from Jose Mourinho revived his floundering career with Chelsea.
The 2014/15 season saw Chelsea reclaim the Premier League title, and for John Terry, it marked a remarkable personal comeback.
Just a year earlier, he’d been written off, but one phone call changed everything. That call came from Jose Mourinho, the man who had built his first Chelsea side around Terry and was now back to restore both player and club.
Jose Mourinho didn’t listen to Rafa Benitez’s assessment of John Terry
Speaking to Ken Golden, John Terry opened up about the doubts that surrounded him before Mourinho’s return. Rafa Benitez, then serving as interim manager, had told the club that Terry was past his best.
“We had a temporary manager called Rafa Benitez. I was 33 or 34 at the time, and he basically told the football club that John’s past it — he can’t play anymore.”
But Jose Mourinho saw things differently. When he returned to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2013, he made it clear that Terry still had a role to play.
While on holiday in Portugal with his wife, Terry received an unexpected call. It was Mourinho — and his message would prove to be career-defining.
“Mourinho called me,” Terry recalled. “I was in Portugal on holiday with my wife, sharing a bottle of wine, and he said, ‘I’m coming back, and you’re still my captain.’ It was really emotional, really powerful for me.”
Jose Mourinho’s call reignites John Terry’s confidence and Chelsea’s title run
John Terry went on to start every Premier League match in the 2014-15 season, leading Chelsea to their first league title in five years.
His performance at age 35 was so impressive that it earned him a contract extension from Chelsea to continue in his role.
His leadership, consistency, and renewed confidence became emblematic of Mourinho’s second spell — a campaign built on defensive discipline and self-belief.
For Terry, that phone call represented more than just a tactical decision. It was a moment of faith that reignited his passion for the game and reminded him why he belonged at the heart of Chelsea’s defence.
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