´I want to do it for football´ – Mourinho hints at international management

Jose Mourinho hinted he would like to manage a national team in the future, or return to Serie A after being sacked by Roma in January 2024.

Mourinho oversaw 138 games as Roma head coach in all competitions, winning 68 of those (49.28% win rate).

The 61-year-old was at Roma for two and a half years, leading the club to the Europa Conference League title in 2022 before reaching the Europa League final the following season, only to lose to Sevilla on penalties.

However, he endured a tough start to his third season in charge, and a run of one win in five Serie A games at the start of the year resulted in his contract being terminated.

He was out of work until June, when he took over at Fenerbahce, but has struggled to find a spark in the Turkish Super Lig, with the club eight points behind Galatasaray in the title race.

During his career, he has enjoyed stints at Porto, Chelsea over two spells, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham, winning a combined eight domestic titles and two Champions Leagues during that time.

Although he would “certainly” like a return to Serie A, where he also had notable success with Inter, he admitted that is not his only hope for the future.

“I’ve never watched Roma play again, but I’ve watched Inter,” he told Corriere dello Sport.

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“I want to play a European Championship or a World Cup and unite a country around a team, as I have already done many times with the clubs. I want to do it for football and what this sport represents. It will be incredible.”

Asked if he had any regrets from his career, Mourinho added: “Many, if we talk about games.

“Regarding professional decisions, the no to Florentino [Perez]. He told me: ‘Mou, don’t go now, you’ve done the tough part, now the best one starts.’ I knew it was true, but I wanted to return to Chelsea after three years of great challenges in Spain.

“And then Budapest [the Europa League final]. Not for [Anthony] Taylor’s mess, but because I didn’t leave immediately. I should have left Roma. I didn’t do it, and it was a mistake.”