How Florentino Pérez poached Mourinho from Portugal
While the Portugal national team was desperately looking for a successor to Roberto Martinez last spring, the appointment of Jose Mourinho seemed certain, until a simple call from Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, caused this international project to collapse.
The Portuguese federation had officially ended Roberto Martinez's tenure as early as April, even before the World Cup in America. The officials then directly approached the former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager, who was then in charge at Benfica.
Concrete discussions quickly focused on the job requirements and the envisaged project. At this stage, Mourinho's appointment was on track, backed by his experience and his connection to the country.
The decisive call from Madrid
However, Real Madrid's poor results crisis prompted Florentino Pérez to pick up the phone. A simple call from the Spanish capital shattered the international destiny of the “Special One”.
Pérez revived his favourite recipe, recalling a coach accustomed to local demands, reminiscent of the returns of Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti. This strategy aimed to raise the bar for the Madrid club.
Militão's first training eases Mourinho's worries at Real Madrid
In his Sunday column for the newspaper AS, editorial director Jose Felix Diaz wrote: “A friend never lets you down.” He reminded that Mourinho, a loyal man, answered his friend Florentino’s call.
The 63-year-old coach ultimately triggered his release clause with Benfica to join Real Madrid until 2029. His return was definitively confirmed after Florentino Pérez’s re‑election.
Portugal turns to Jorge Jesus
Facing reality, the Portuguese federation chose Jorge Jesus as a plan B, betting on his proximity to Cristiano Ronaldo at Al‑Nassr. Ronaldo publicly endorsed Jesus’s arrival, calling it an ideal “new chapter”.
Thirteen years after his tumultuous departure from Spain, Mourinho sacrificed his dream of managing Portugal to support his president. It now remains to turn this act of friendship into sporting success on the pitch.