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Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has poured cold water over rumors linking him with the Portugal job, reaffirming his commitment to the Turkish side. Mourinho has long been touted as a potential candidate for the managerial position in the Portuguese national team.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just a year away, the rumor mill was rife with the linkage again, with the Selecao potentially looking for a new coach to guide them in the US-Canada-Mexico showpiece event.
However, the 62-year-old has denied meeting with the Portugal national team's governing body. He recently said (via TribalFootball):
"Yes, I can deny that I had any meeting with the Portuguese Football Federation. I am a loyal person. The only time I had direct contact with a club I informed Fenerbahce. It wasn't now, it was in January. I had a meeting with the unnamed club. I didn't accept the offer. But I informed my club even before the meeting.”
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After getting sacked from AS Roma last January, Jose Mourinho moved to Turkey with Fenerbahce, marking his first spell outside of Europe's big five leagues in over 20 years.
He signed a two-year contract with the side, but speculations are rife that Mourinho could leave at the end of the ongoing season following a tumultuous run, with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr supposedly among his suitors.
One of the most decorated managers of the 21st century, Mourinho has managed 10 clubs over the course of his 24-year career and won 26 trophies, including two Champions League.
Jose Mourinho may end his career in Portugal
Being a Portuguese national, Jose Mourinho has unsurprisingly been linked with the Portugal national team's job for ages. His success across clubs has made him an attractive prospect too.
However, in more recent times, some of the gloss around him has faded away after unsuccessful stints at Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma. His time with Fenerbahce so far hasn't been memorable either.
Now, in the final years of his career, Mourinho may finally have a change of mind and try his hand at international football, and what better place for that than his own country's national side?
