Portugal approach Jose Mourinho to take over as head coach of national team: Reports
Portugal have approached Jose Mourinho for the role of the national team's head coach as Fernando Santos is due to step down.
The Selecao were dumped out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by Morocco in the quarter-finals as Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance in the competition ended in tears.
With Santos now set to call time on his position as their manager, Portugal are already looking for a replacement and have identified Mourinho as a potential replacement, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Portuguese coach is currently the head of AS Roma, joining last year, and has an ambitious project at the capital club as he's aiming to guide them back into the Champions League this season.
However, to persuade him, Portugal have gone as far as offering Mourinho the possibility of sharing club and country duties at the same time, a rare prospect but the 59-year-old is reported to be intrigued by it.
Portugal have approached Jose Mourinho with the prospect of managing club and country SIMULTANEOUSLY! 🔥😮
Via La Gazzetta dello Sport https://t.co/Z7dHz3PbZi
Mourinho is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most tactically astute managers in the world, having enjoyed trophy-laden spells at Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Last season, he guided Roma to Europa Conference League glory, the club's first major European title in more than 60 years while becoming the competition's first winner too.
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach has been linked with taking over England's national team in the past but he rejected the idea, although Portugal's proposal to share the duties might be hard to ignore.
The last person to hold two jobs in football management was Kevin Keegan, who was in charge of both England and Fulham at the same time.
AS Roma are Europa Conference League Champions 🏆
- Nicolo Zaniolo scored the first Conference League final goal 🇮🇹
- José Mourinho wins the first Europa Conference League trophy with Roma
- Mourinho is now the first manager to win all Major European trophies.
...
THREAD: 👇 https://t.co/yqd0XBY6HU
He had initially taken over national team duties on a temporary basis in 1999 following Glen Hoddle's departure, while remaining in charge of the Championship outfit.
However, toward the end of the 1998-99 club season, Keegan decided to leave Fulham to continue being the England boss until a defeat to Germany called his time in the national team as well.
Mourinho's Champions League ambitions with Roma needs a boost
Jose Mourinho aims to get AS Roma back in the Champions League but he's far from fulfilling his ambitions right now as his side languishes in seventh place in the Serie A standings.
Having started their top-flight campaign with back-to-back wins, the Giallorossi have struggled for consistency once more, losing four times and drawing thrice in their next 13 games.
This has left them three points behind fourth-placed Lazio in the race for Champions League football and they must string together a ruthless winning streak to boost their top-four hopes.