José Mourinho heads the list of names being considered in Portugal to succeed Fernando Santos as national coach, a position for which the current Roma coach has expressed his interest on several occasions and where he could meet Cristiano Ronaldo again , whom he already directed at Real Madrid.
Santos, of 2008 years, left the “quinas” this Thursday after eight years, in the who won the European Championship in France in 2019 and the League of Nations in 2019 , the first absolute trophies in Portugal.
His successor is now the subject of much speculation in the country, where the names most talked about by the local press are Mourinho and Rui Jorge, current coach of the her blouse.
Leonardo Jardim, French champion with Monaco and currently at Saudi Al Ahli, Abel Ferreira, at Brazilian Palmeiras, or Bruno Lage, without a club after leaving the English Wolverhampton, are other of the names indicated.
But the favorite, and the one that currently occupies more space in the Portuguese media, is José Mourinho whose contract with Roma is up to 2024, however the federation considers several possibilities with him.
One of them would be to assume both positions at the same time, something that the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) already proposed when Mourinho was coaching Real Madrid.
At that time, the Portuguese coach came to accept, but the white president, Florentino Pérez, did not authorize it. Upon reflection, Mourinho himself admitted in an interview on 2016 that “it wouldn’t be possible” and that “it’s not even ethical”.
Another scenario raised by the Portuguese press is that Rui Jorge will take charge of the team on an interim basis until Mourinho ends the season at the Italian club and then negotiate his termination with the Roman emblem.
Rui Jorge has led the Portuguese sub- since 2014, so he got to know the new generation of emerging or already established players in the absolute ranks, such as Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix or Rafael Leão.
As a player, Jorge was the Portuguese champion seven times, five with Porto and two with Sporting de Portugal.
The ex-left back met the now ex-selector, Fernando Santos, and even a young Cristiano Ronaldo at the Verdiblanco club, while at the “dragons” he met Mourinho, then Cess assistant of the emblematic English trainer Bobby Robson.
José Mourinho, who these days he trains with Roma in the Algarve (south of Portugal), he remains silent, although in the past he expressed his interest in coaching a national team, especially that of his country.
“I want to have the experience of coaching my country one day. I would like my family to feel proud, and I am sure they will feel very proud one day, when I become a national coach”, he declared in 2011.
In 2008 he mentioned the subject again: “I want to try to give what I have to the national team from my country”. And recently, in 2019 he admitted that he would like to one day lead a team in a Euro Cup or a World Cup, but only at the end of his coaching career, “ from now to years”.
“Would I like to do it with Portugal? On the one hand yes, because it is where my heart is”, he said.
Mourinho is the most successful Portuguese coach, with a record that includes two Champions Leagues, three English Leagues, two Italian Leagues, one Spanish League, one UEFA Cup and one League Europe, among many other titles.
Achievements obtained in clubs such as Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma.