Is legendary coach Jose Mourinho taking over Portugal?
Jose Mourinho reacts during the UEFA Europa Conference League final match in Tirana. File /AFP
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo leads a group of 9 players who remained silent after the coach of the national team, Fernando Santos, was expelled after being eliminated from the World Cup by Morocco in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The Portuguese Football Federation sacked Santos on Thursday and Ronaldo, who sat on the bench in the matches against Switzerland and Morocco.
Goalkeeper Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Diogo Dalot, Antonio Silva, Joao Ballenha, Ruben Neves, Ricardo Horta and Rafael Leao, did not extend a message of thanks to the coach who led the national team to Euro 2016 and the Nations League 2018 and 2019.
On the other hand, local media nominated Paulo Fonseca to succeed Santos, but it was Roma coach Jose Mourinho who was greeted by the conquerors upon his arrival at Portugal airport to meet with federation officials.
The FPF said that it "will now launch the process to choose the next national coach."
Media reports claim that Mourinho is the federation's number one target to take over ahead of qualifying for Euro 2024.
According to the reports, Mourinho and his agent Mendez's meeting with the officials did not bear fruit despite Mourinho's interest in the position, as the Football Association refused that Mourinho combine training with Roma and the national team.
Mendez told federation president Fernando Soares Gomes da Silva at Thursday's meeting that Mourinho would not leave Roma in the middle of the season, but that the Italian club would not stand in the way of his desire to take over in June 2023.
Mourinho is seeking to reach a settlement with the Roma administration in the next few months that includes his dismissal a year before the end of his contract in order to lead Portugal towards the Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026.
