The megaproject that Mourinho rejected to return to Real Madrid

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18/10/26 21:00:00

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Latest news at Real Madrid. José Mourinho rejected the possibility of taking over the Portugal national team's bench in April 2026 to accept the call from the Spanish team, as revealed by José Félix Díaz. The Portuguese Federation had considered the coach, but Florentino Pérez intervened to reclaim him, leading Mourinho to leave Benfica and return to the Bernabéu.

José Mourinho received Portugal's call before Real Madrid's

The situation occurred in the weeks prior to the 2026 World Cup, when the continuity of Roberto Martínez as Portugal's head coach was already ruled out. According to Díaz, Mourinho was one of the names considered by the Federation for the position.

The contact happened while Mourinho was still leading Benfica, a club he was under contract with until 2027. The Portugal option progressed to discussions with the Federation officials but ultimately did not materialize.

The scenario changed when Florentino Pérez called the coach in April. Real Madrid's president decided to bet on his return to replace Álvaro Arbeloa, following a strategy previously used with coaches like Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti.

Mourinho ended up prioritizing the Madrid proposal and left Benfica after Real Madrid activated the clause that allowed the coach's release. The Spanish club officially announced his return on June 11, with a contract until June 30, 2029.

Portugal found Jorge Jesus as José Mourinho's replacement

The decision left Portugal without Mourinho to start its new phase after Roberto Martínez. The Federation had to seek another alternative and ultimately chose Jorge Jesus, who already had experience working with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The relationship between Jesus and Ronaldo was one of the elements influencing the selection of the new coach, while Mourinho began his second stint at Real Madrid. The Portuguese coach had previously managed the Spanish team between 2010 and 2013 before returning thirteen years later.

Mourinho's connection with Portugal was not new either. In 2012, when he led Real Madrid for the first time, the Portuguese Federation had tried to hire him to combine the national team role with his club duties. That possibility was blocked by the Madrid entity at the time.

José Mourinho once again chose the Real Madrid project

In 2026, Real Madrid was keen on having Mourinho full-time. The agreement was finalized in June, leading the coach to leave Benfica, which received 15 million euros for his release clause.

Now, with Mourinho leading the Madrid team and Portugal under Jorge Jesus, that decision has an immediate consequence: the Federation will need to continue its project with a different coach while Mourinho works with Real Madrid until 2029. Consequently, the chance to coach Portugal is postponed without a set timeline.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El megaproyecto que rechazó Mourinho para volver al Real Madrid