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Jose Mourinho: Former Chelsea manager takes up role with Gianni Infantino's Fifa 'legends' campaign

The former Chelsea manager will take charge of a men's and women's 'legends' team in Mexico City on Wednesday

Mark Critchley
Tuesday 10 May 2016 11:16 BST
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Mourinho has been tipped to replace Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford
Mourinho has been tipped to replace Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford (Getty)

Jose Mourinho has reportedly been hired by Fifa as part of the world football governing body’s new promotional campaign.

Gianni Infantino, Fifa’s president, is hoping to rebuild the organisation’s reputation and retrain its focus on football.

According to the Daily Mail, Infantino’s latest initiative will involve enlisting a squad of famous faces from the sport to participate in events around the world.

The group of ‘legends’, which will be unveiled by Infantino at Fifa’s congress in Mexico City on Friday, are expected to play matches, participate in charity events and even have a hand in the governing body’s decision-making.

Mourinho, who is rumoured to be on the verge of replacing Louis van Gaal as manager of Manchester United, will first take charge of a male and female ‘legends’ team put together by Fifa against a Mexcio All Stars side at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Mia Hamm, Dwight Yorke, Fabio Cannavaro, Clarence Seedorf and Luis Figo, himself a one-time Fifa presidential candidate, are expected to take part in the game.

The former Chelsea manager supported Infantino during his election campaign and was present at the Italian’s unveiling of his 90-day plan for the presidency at Wembley in February.

Despite his election coming just over two months, Infantino has already been forced to field questions relating to corruption.

Last month, the 46-year-old official was implicated in the organisation’s ongoing scandal, after the Panama Papers leak connected him to Hugo Jinkis, one of 16 men indicted by the FBI over bribery allegations in 2015.

Infantino subsequently welcomed an investigation by Swiss police into the affair.

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