From the start, Mourinho cut an iconic image on the sidelines with a fashionably moody Armani coat, Clooneyesque silver hair, and seriously brooding good looks.

Although European managers have long been preoccupied with style, traditionally their British counterparts, from Brian Clough to Glenn Hoddle, dressed in scruffy sportswear and bought their suits at Next. But Mourinho upped the ante considerably . . . nowadays even Roy Keane tries to dress well.

Mourinho's style has become a part of contemporary culture . . . as befits his status as a sophisticated European with no need to prove himself, Mourinho is not flashy. But his clothes are sharp, and a million times more accomplished than those of his erstwhile rivals Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson.

Mourinho favours smart tailoring (Hugo Boss), has reintroduced designer stubble into the fashion lexicon and frequently appears in post-match interviews on 'Match of the Day' wearing his tie ostentatiously undone. Crucially, this suggests a challenge to authority. This is, after all, a man who enjoys picking fights . . . not least, as we now know, with his own boss.

Part of Mourinho's appeal to women is that he looks like a man who pays attention to style, considering his choice of socks, say, or aftershave carefully. He has more than a touch of the Paco Rabanne pin-up circa 1970 about him.

Finally, Jose Mourinho exudes machismo (unlike his dog which is something of a letdown) and has not been afraid to snub big-name players including Andrei Shevchenko and Michael Ballack. He is charming and bright (he speaks five languages, and is a master tactician and lethal exponent of sports psychology). He is also, let's not forget, extremely rich. Especially now.