Ever since Jose Mourinho’s early success with FC Porto, there’s been an assumption that one day the manager will take charge of his national team.
The claims have continued throughout his career, from Chelsea to Inter Milan, to Real Madrid, back to Chelsea again, to Manchester United, and they’ll still pop up now he’s at Tottenham Hotspur.
Mourinho managing Portugal has never really felt like something which will happen until he’s exhausted his reputation among Europe’s top clubs. A career ending type of job, and hopefully one with which he could enhance his reputation further in his own country.
Tuesday saw the draw for this year’s Nations League matches, and Luis Figo was part of the contingent at the event from the Portuguese Football Federation.
He was asked about the Tottenham manager taking charge of the national side, and FC Inter News quote him as saying: “He is one of the best technicians in the world, he is Portuguese, but at the moment we have a coach who is doing very well. Maybe in the future it will be possible.”
Fernando Santos is the current manager, and led Portugal to success at Euro 2016, as well as the last Nations League. He’s going to be a tough act to follow, and therefore it’s unlikely that even if Mourinho was in the position to take the role when Santos leaves, that he’d fancy it that much.
It’s hard selling poor football heritage to fans who have seen their country lift two trophies in recent years.
