Mourinho’s Future: Benfica, International Aspirations, and Real Madrid Rumors

omidbasir- José Mourinho made his return to Benfica in September, signing a two-year contract with the esteemed Liga Portugal club. However, reports from ESPN suggest that the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) may seek to entice the 63-year-old into the national team role following the expected departure of Roberto Martinez.

The article notes that if Mourinho were to leave Benfica, the most likely successor would be Ruben Amorim, who was recently dismissed from his position at Manchester United. Amorim’s lengthy association with Benfica as a player and his successful tenure at Sporting CP have solidified his reputation as a respected coach in Portugal.

In an interview with Corriere Dello Sport, Mourinho expressed his ambition to transition into international management, stating his desire to lead a team in a European Championship or World Cup. “I want to unite a country around a team, as I have done numerous times with clubs,” he remarked.

In August, addressing rumors about a potential coaching role with Brazil, Mourinho clarified that his priority lies with the Portuguese national team. “My destiny in international football is to compete in a World Cup with Portugal. I have never considered coaching the Brazilian national team; my first experience must be with Portugal,” he explained to Sporty Net.

Since Mourinho’s return, Benfica’s performance has been inconsistent, resulting in their elimination from domestic cups and falling seven points behind Liga Portugal leaders FC Porto. This led to a tense encounter at the training ground with fans. Nevertheless, Mourinho’s tactical prowess was evident when Benfica advanced to the Champions League knockout stage by defeating Real Madrid 4-2, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scoring a dramatic last-minute goal.

Additionally, there have been speculations about Mourinho’s potential return to Real Madrid, where Álvaro Arbeloa currently manages the first team. It is rumored that club president Florentino Perez hopes to reunite with Mourinho. However, the coach dismissed these notions in a recent interview with Sport TV, stating, “Don’t count on me for soap operas. They’re lengthy, and missing an episode makes it hard to keep up.”

Benfica will face Real Madrid soon, as they have been drawn against the Spanish giants in the Champions League playoffs, with the first leg set for February 17 in Lisbon. Before this, Benfica must first focus on their upcoming Liga Portugal match against Santa Clara on Friday.