Istanbul, July 22, 2025 — Legendary manager José Mourinho has made his ambitions clear: he wants to lead a national team to a World Cup — and ideally, his native Portugal.
Speaking to reporters, Mourinho opened up about a long-standing personal goal, expressing his desire to experience international football at the highest level.
“I want to compete in a World Cup: whether it’s with Portugal or another country, but I think it should be with Portugal,” Mourinho said.
“I’m not offering myself to the Federation, but it’s something that should happen naturally. One day, it will happen!”
The 62-year-old has previously come close to managing Portugal most notably after Luiz Felipe Scolari’s exit in 2008 but has always remained committed to club football, coaching sides like Real Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United and more recently AS Roma and Fenerbahçe.
While Mourinho insists he is not campaigning for the job, his remarks will inevitably fuel discussions within the Portuguese Football Federation and among fans eager to see “The Special One” bring his experience and charisma to the Seleção.