Benfica coach Mourinho has revealed that McTominay, one of his former players at Manchester United, gifted him his Napoli shirt after this week's clash, which saw the Portuguese side win 2-0.
Why did Mourinho grab McTominay's shirt?
Mourinho was in charge of Man Utd when McTominay got his first team bow back in 2017 and the legendary manager handed him 23 appearances for United in all competitions during a season that also saw him make his Scotland debut.
Speaking after the game, Mourinho revealed why he thinks McTominay was partly in debt to him.
"The bag is mine. It’s McTominay’s shirt. I gave him his debut. I benched (Paul) Pogba to let him play (at Manchester United).
"The least he could do was give me the shirt."
"But he’s very happy in Naples. Winning the award for best foreign player is absolutely fantastic, it qualifies Scotland for the World Cup after so many years. He’s having a really, really good time.
"He gave Manchester United a real boost, and there’s a connection with him. When he’s 70, he’ll still remember me.”
Mourinho pushed McTominay
McTominay told United's club website in April 2018 about how Mourinho had helped him and pushed him to be a world class player.
"Jose Mourinho has been absolutely incredible to me this year. He's helped me so much in terms of what I can do, from being more humble, to being better on the training pitch and just being a better person in general.
"When I first came into the group he said, 'The players have to like you,' and it's one of the most important things going into a new dressing room, that you are a likeable person, and you get on with everybody.
"That has stood me in good stead. It's important to be liked on the pitch. It's the manager having the faith to play me that's been incredible, and I can't thank him enough."