Jose Mourinho has disclosed that he regrets a significant error in his career, which he intends to amend.
Widely considered among the elite football managers, the Portuguese has helmed prestigious clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Manchester United.
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In his most recent role, Mourinho managed AS Roma in Serie A. Under his leadership, the ‘Special One’ guided them to triumph in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Despite this success, Mourinho’s tenure ended in January following a series of disappointing performances.
In a conversation with Calciomercato.com, Mourinho expressed remorse over not taking up the national team manager position for Portugal.
When asked which country he would like to manage, Mourinho said: “It’s normal, Portugal. I had the chance to go twice, but they didn’t come at the right time for me. I was emotional when I rejected the last offer, because I decided to stay at Roma, and I think I made a mistake.
“Because now Portugal have a fantastic team, one of the best, in the top five. I knew it, but I felt a great connection with Roma, with the fans, so I didn’t want to make that decision.”
He added: “The Portugal job has come twice, but I think it’ll come a third time too and I’ll take it. Hoping that the generation I have will be as strong as this one.”
Speaking about his way of working, the 61-year-old manager said: “Some coaches are maybe smarter and more intelligent, and therefore choose the right job with the ideal conditions to achieve success. I need to always work, to feel that I am doing something and helping someone.
“I like challenges, even if sometimes they are unfair because I can’t be expected to win trophies when my team is not the strongest on the pitch.”
He added: “The two finals with Roma were the toughest to reach. Maybe the Europa League with Manchester United was also very difficult. Because they were two teams that, when I arrived, were in a very difficult spot.”
