Cristiano Ronaldo Creates Opportunity for Jose Mourinho’s Next Move as Pochettino Awaits Chelsea’s Decision

Cristiano Ronaldo glowing experiences in Saudi Arabia may have influenced Jose Mourinho to take a job in the Middle East because the Alnassr icon has shown him how good it can be there.

Mourinho is unemployed at the moment after leaving Roma in January and is on the lookout for a new challenge. The former Chelsea manager helped Roma win the Europa Conference League in May 2022, their first continental trophy since 1961, but they let him go when the team were ninth in Serie A.

Mourinho is waiting for the right moment to jump back into coaching and thinks something might come up at the end of the 2023/24 season. It has been suggested the Portuguese could coach national teams while he has been offered big money to coach in Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo now plays for Al-Nassr.

Mourinho turned down two jobs last summer to stay with Roma and said no to taking over at Saudi team Al Shabab in January. Now, talking to journalist Fabrizio Romano, he’s shared his thoughts about working in Saudi Arabia, according to the Mirror.

“Saudi, I think Cristiano opened the door in terms of people believing that it’s possible to be there, to live there, to enjoy the development of a country that wants to be a different country with a football that is a passion but isn’t developed,” he said.

“I think Cristiano opened the door and when I had a proposal, of course, economically it was important. I refused because it was more important for me [to stay with] Roma and their European football objectives.

“If you ask me in the future, you know, experience taught me to never say never. But if you ask me why I’m travelling to Saudi today, I’m travelling because I’m going to enjoy three days watching boxing, enjoying Formula One, seeing some friends it’s not because I’m signing any contract. Because now I have time until the end of the season to make the right decision for me.”

Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge and Pochettino fate

Mourinho has also been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge, with Mauricio Pochettino under pressure. The 61-year-old led the Blues to three Premier League titles in his two spells at the club.

Mourinho went to Saudi Arabia in early March to watch Anthony Joshua’s fight against Francis Ngannou in Riyadh and then the Saudi Grand Prix.

Mourinho was pictured in Jeddah earlier this month at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

He’s planning to return to managing a team in the summer and hinted that being in charge of an international team might not be for him, especially after Euro 2024, with the next World Cup not happening until 2026.

“I am ready to start, sometimes when you end at a club you feel the need of a rest or a think,” he said. “In this case, one day after I left I was ready to go.

“I am really ready but I don’t want to make the wrong choice, but I cannot make the wrong choice, I cannot accept something just because of the feeling and passion to be back. I have to be patient. Is something going to happen in March or April? It is very difficult, my objective is to start next summer.”