"When I first arrived at Chelsea, I saw something that shocked me," Makelele told The Sun.
"There were big teams, Manchester United and Arsenal, and all the time we would play them and I’d hear: 'F***ing hell, it’s going to be difficult'.
"What? We can’t beat Arsenal? My team-mates were insecure and that shocked me, I had come from Real Madrid where I won everything.
"I understood my team-mates — Arsenal won with Thierry Henry scoring and with Patrick Vieira.
Chelsea news: 'When I first arrived at Stamford Bridge, I saw something that shocked me' (Image: GETTY)
Chelsea news: 'When I first arrived at Stamford Bridge, I saw something that shocked me' (Image: GETTY)
"But they were my friends and I played with them for the national team and I wouldn’t be afraid.
"When I saw this, I wanted to change it with my team-mates and say: 'No, this is possible'. We did change the mentality and, after, we beat them all the time and were fighting for the Premier League.
"I learnt a lot with Mourinho about being a competitor, about being focused on details and the consequences of your management.
"He made me understand football in a different way. Football is not just happiness. He makes you understand about society, partnerships, fans, media, every detail.
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