Before José Mourinho returned to the Bernabéu, he reportedly had an enticing offer to take over the Portugal national team.

The Seleção das Quinas began their search for a new manager well before they limped to a round of 16 finish at the 2026 World Cup. Roberto Martínez’s time at the helm was coming to an end, and Portugal was eager to establish a succession plan.

AS report Portugal “initially” had Mourinho in mind for the position. The 63-year-old, who was managing Benfica, held talks with the Portuguese Football Federation, discussing a potential agreement and starting point for the job.

But around the same time, Real Madrid came knocking. The 15-time European champions needed a strong personality and an experienced winner to take over a team that went two seasons without a major trophy.

Mourinho answered the club’s call, reassuming the position he held 13 years prior. Portugal “understood the circumstances” and pivoted to Jorge Jesus, who inked a four-year deal with the team following his exit from Al Nassr.

Portugal’s ‘Second Choice’ Off to a Fine Start

Jesus might not have been Portugal’s top candidate to replace Martínez, but he has gotten off to a flying start. He led the team to two victories in his first two games in charge; the European outfit defeated Wales and Norway to kick off their UEFA Nations League title defense.

It might not sound like a major feat, but other new bosses across the international landscape have not found the same success. Germany has yet to win a game under Jürgen Klopp and the Netherlands only collected four points from its first two matches under Xavi.

Perhaps even more head-turning than Jesus’s first results is his team decisions. The 72-year-old boldly left Ronaldo on the bench in the team’s 2–1 win over Norway on Sunday even after he assured the media (and the player himself) the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would feature in some capacity.

The decision came after a string of underwhelming outings from the Portugal captain, who admitted he considered retirement following a lackluster World Cup. Ronaldo did not appear too happy with the manager once the final whistle sounded at the weekend, setting the stage for some potential fireworks coming.

Portugal is back in action on Thursday, Oct. 1 against Denmark before it takes on Norway again on Sunday, Oct. 4

Mourinho Not Finding the Same Success

While Jesus celebrates a solid start to his new tenure, Mourinho is already on the hot seat just one month into the season. The “Special One” was brought in to get Real Madrid back to winning ways, yet the Spanish giants already sit six points behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings.

Los Blancos suffered a shock defeat to Real Betis and then a controversial loss to Atlético Madrid right before domestic action paused for three weeks. They also needed last-gasp heroics from Carlos Espí to secure wins over Espanyol and Elche.

The unimpressive results already have Mourinho in a somewhat precarious position. The same problems that existed over the last two seasons remain as present as ever at Real Madrid, and six new signings haven’t helped matters.

Mourinho could instantly win back the fans’ favor and belief with a Clásico victory on Oct. 25. But anything other than three points against Barcelona could have the Portuguese boss looking over his shoulder much earlier than he anticipated.

Operating as Portugal’s manager would have come with a lot less eyes, pressure and room for failure. Only time will tell if Mourinho winds up regretting his choice to prioritize Real Madrid.