In a striking disclosure, Jose Mourinho has admitted to declining the role of head coach for Portugal’s national team on two occasions, including one instance where Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, intervened to prevent his departure.
The veteran 61-year-old coach finds himself without a team after his tenure with Roma ended this past January, following the club’s decision to pursue a new direction.
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Despite this, Mourinho is actively seeking a return to the sidelines, having received propositions from various European clubs as well as from Saudi Arabia, with plans to resume his managerial career by this summer.
The renowned former manager of Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United could have been at the helm for Portugal in the forthcoming European Championship, had he chosen to accept the national team’s offer.
During a conversation with journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mourinho recounted how the opportunity to lead Portugal arose during his time with Madrid and more recently, while he was still at the helm of Roma.
‘My feeling with Portugal is I had the door open twice “please come and the place is yours”, he said.
‘Once was when I was in Real Madrid and the objective was to be the Portuguese coach in a part-time and when I realised the president, Florentino [Perez] told me it’s not possible.
‘Easy to accept, the second time, “do I regret not taking it?” because a few months later I was sacked in Rome. I don’t regret,’ said Mourinho.
‘I don’t regret because the reason why I didn’t accept, I’m happy with the reason, so I don’t regret to coach a national team tomorrow is an objective, if you ask me tomorrow I am not sure I was going to be happy.
‘If you tell me before the World Cup, before the Euros, before the Copa America before the African Cup I would say yes. But two years waiting for that to work, I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll accept,’ he added.
Portugal parted ways with their previous manager, Fernando Santos, in 2022 following their departure from the World Cup at the quarter-finals in Qatar, a tournament that concluded with Argentina as champions.
Jose Mourinho was a leading candidate for the managerial vacancy, yet he chose to remain at the helm of Roma.
Consequently, Roberto Martinez, who had been dismissed by Belgium after their disappointing World Cup group stage performance, was appointed as Santos’ successor.
Since taking over the Portuguese national team, Martinez has experienced considerable success, maintaining an impeccable win streak across 11 games.
