disarming humility

Hello,

I cannot quite understand what 'disarming humility' means in the article
"Jose Mourinho rewarded for patient approach at Real Madrid"
by Andy Brassel at BBC Sport (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17939453)
in the following context:


Yet one of Mourinho's most curious characteristics is his capacity for occasional disarming humility. Despite his regular success, few will need reminding how hard he has had to work for this one, in the shadow of Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona.


The WR dictionary meaning of 'humility' is "the quality of having a humble view of one's own importance". How does humility fit with Mourinho's personality and how does it fit with 'disarming'.
I guess 'disarming humility' is made on the same pattern as 'disarming smile' but it makes no sense for me in this context.

Please help me out with this.

I suppose the man is characteristically arrogant, so that one might find it refreshing, surprising or even charming (disarming) when one catches him in modest mode.

This is the relevant definition of disarm:
■ (often as adj. disarming) allay the hostility or suspicions of.

His humility, or humble view of himself, has the quality of disarming people, that is, removing the feelings people might have that he is someone they might have to protect themselves from. (In this case, any fear they might have would probably be social, the fear that he might treat them disrespectfully or in some way embarrass them.)

Apparently, much of the time he is very self confident and seems proud of his accomplishments. However, from time to time he shows his humble view of himself, and people like him better for it.

Added: Cross-posted with Beryl.

I was curious to know if Cagey knew who Jose Morinho is.

He is a special case - indeed he once described himself as the special one, a sobriquet which is commonly used of him. His manner is often astonishingly brash and conceited, qualities which the British dislike generally, but he is at once amazingly competent and often amusing, and when he's amusing he shows self-knowledge and a sense of irony which makes up for a lot of his bad qualities, and makes one wonder how much he is playacting in many of his dealings with the press. His players also always seem to like and admire him, and this suggests the man behind the mask.

As people have said, the brash exterior causes the moments of apparent humility to be disarming.

Thomas Tompion said:

I was curious to know if Cagey knew who Jose Morinho is.

[....]

No, I don't, and I am pleased that someone can fill in the missing information. 👁 Smile :)

Now it is clear. Thanks to Thomas Tompion and all posters.