Jose Mourinho has ruled out moving into international management, adding further weight to the suggestion he is holding out for a second crack at the Real Madrid job.
Mourinho is thought to be the preferred choice of Madrid president Florentino Perez to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season.
The 63-year-old is currently contracted to Benfica until June 2027 but has an exit clause that can be triggered by him, or the Lisbon giants, at the end of the season. Neither Mourinho, nor Benfica president Rui Costa have expressed a desire for the former Chelsea boss to depart now but the current trajectory is leaning in that direction, particularly as there are differences of opinion on a longer-term strategy.
Real Madrid chief Perez has close links with Mourinho
Reports in Spain suggest Mourinho would relish a return to the Santiago Bernabeu and he retains a strong relationship with Perez following his three-year spell in charge between 2010 and 2013 that saw them win the Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Another option for Mourinho would be the Portuguese national team job. Current boss Roberto Martinez’s deal expires after the World Cup, potentially leaving open a role Mourinho has long coveted.
But, speaking today, Mourinho said he is not yet ready to step away from club management.
On a promotional trip to Italy, he told SportMediaset: “I think about it [international football], but then I also think about my life without club football – without training every day, winning, losing and drawing three times a week. Being happy, sad, frustrated, wanting to improve…
“I can’t imagine my life without these things. The time has not yet come for a national team.”
Madrid-based newspaper AS claim Mourinho wants his Benfica future clarified by May 24, although he is not the only coach in the running for one of the most highly sought jobs in the game.
Lionel Scaloni, the Argentine who delivered the 2022 World Cup for his country, is also a candidate, as is Julen Lopetegui.
Analysis of Jose Mourinho returning to Real Madrid
It would be a backward step in bringing Mourinho back to Madrid. The game has moved on, as anyone who watched the game between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich last night would confirm.
The game’s biggest prizes are contested by teams that control the ball, press high and place an emphasis on attacking football. Mourinho’s team don’t do any of those things.
His Benfica side sat 27th out of the 36 teams in this season’s Champions League for possession with 45.2%. Compare that to Paris Saint-Germain (63%), Barcelona (60.6%) and Bayern Munich (58.1%) and you can see the top sides have evolved away from a pragmatic approach.
It is quite a leap from Bournemouth to Madrid but Andoni Iraola would be a much better fit for a club desperate to return to the grandest stages.
