Mourinho turned down Portugal to return to Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho has turned down the opportunity to take charge of the Portugal national team. According to reports from AS, the manager held discussions with the Portuguese Football Federation, which viewed him as the primary candidate to replace Roberto Martinez.

The situation shifted when Real Madrid president Florentino Perez approached Mourinho with an offer to return to the Spanish capital. The Portuguese coach accepted this proposal, ultimately declining the chance to lead the national side.

This marks a second stint for Mourinho at Real Madrid, following his previous tenure between 2010 and 2013, during which he led the club to three trophies.

This was not the first instance of the Portuguese Federation attempting to hire Mourinho. Back in 2012, they proposed a dual-role arrangement for him to work with both the national team and Real Madrid, but the club did not approve such a structure at that time.