Updated: 17 Jun 2026 11:34 BST |
4 min read
Jose Mourinho had a four-year contract agreed to take over as Portugal head coach before Real Madrid made a surprise move for him to return to the Bernabeu.
Mourinho was confirmed as Alvaro Arbeloa’s replacement in the Spanish capital on 11 June, taking the Portuguese back Real Madrid after previously departing in 2013.
In order to complete the deal, the 63-year-old had to turn his back on his country, with whom he had an agreement to lead into the 2030 World Cup, according to a report from Sky Sports.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss had been pencilled in to lead Portugal into the next World Cup, which will be played across Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
A four-year agreement had been verbally agreed, but the opportunity of going back to Real Madrid proved too great a draw.
Ronaldo still vital to Portugal
One of the players that Mourinho would likely have worked with at Portugal is Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a mainstay of his previous Real Madrid team.
The 41-year-old striker has drawn heat in the build-up to the World Cup for sub-par performances in friendly matches, but the striker has been defended by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is, once again, an example and a reference for football,” he said.
“For all those young footballers, or boys and girls on the street who are starting to feel the love for the sport, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s example is wonderful.
“For us, it’s his sixth World Cup, but I can say that, internally, it feels like his first, in terms of intensity, emotional strength, and how important it is for him to be prepared to help the team. And within the national team, he’s a vital player because he’s the finisher, the area player, the player whose movements can create space for other players. Within our attacking game, his numbers reflect his importance.”
Ronaldo is not the only key figure in the Portugal national team whose future is up for debate, though.
Martinez admits Portugal exit: It’s not news
Martinez has been subject to exit rumours that have stepped up in recent days, fuelled by speculation that Mourinho had already agreed a deal with the country’s FA to take over.
And the former Belgium boss has effectively admitted that he will leave the post at the World Cup.
“It’s not news,” Martinez said when responding to questions over mounting rumours that he will leave the job.
“We’ve talked about this a lot in Portugal, it might be different here, but we’ve talked about it a lot in Portugal.
“The focus is on continuing the work done over the past three and a half years.
“When I arrived in Portugal, the focus was on trying to win everything every day, but the main focus was preparing for the World Cup. We’re already here, 40 games later, after winning the Nations League. The focus is the same, the important thing is the World Cup.
“My contract ends after the World Cup, I think that’s not news, it’s a fact.”
Mourinho’s move to Real Madrid has left Portugal scrambling for a new manager, and will put Ronaldo’s international future under question.
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