Former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro owns English football club years after Mourinho clash

Former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro once drew the ire of Jose Mourinho after a controversial incident during a 2015 game with Swansea. In a game that had already seen Blues goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sent off, Eden Hazard seemed to be injured after a late tackle from Ashley Williams.

The Chelsea medical team dashed past Mourinho and onto the pitch to escort the Belgian off, infuriating the manager, as it would leave his team with only nine players. After the match, Mourinho furiously claimed Hazard’s injury wasn’t serious, criticising the medical team for not understanding the situation.

Carneiro, who also briefly worked at West Ham and with Team GB, departed Chelsea the next September, and pursued legal action against the club, ultimately reaching a settlement reportedly worth £5million. Following the incident, Carneiro’s interest in football waned, and the Gibraltar-born doctor said she couldn’t bring herself to watch a match until the Champions League final the following year, reports the Daily Star.

However, Carneiro has rekindled her passion for the beautiful game after becoming co-owner at grassroots champions Lewes FC, a club lauded for aiming to be ‘the world’s first gender equal club’ nestled in the heart of East Sussex. And she isn’t alone in her celebrity status at the club; tennis coaching legend and mum to Wimbledon champ Andy Murray, Judy Murray, is also on the board as a fellow co-owner.

Overflowing with admiration for Lewes’ progressive stance, Carneiro has been vocal about their push for parity. She recently explained: “Love the beautiful game and football has such power,” adding spiritedly: “Imagine using it for good. Imagine finding a club with values as the centre of its ethos. I’m a proud owner.”

Away from the pitch, the erstwhile Blue’s team doctor has transferred her medical acumen to the esteemed corridors of Harley Street’s clinics – alongside her work with a Qatari health institution ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Off duty, Carneiro, age 50, shares her life with polar adventurer and business tycoon, Jason De Carteret.