ROME — Roma coach Jose Mourinho has dismissed any notion of becoming Brazil’s next manager, saying his allegiance is with his Italian Serie A side.
“Brazil hasn’t spoken to me directly,” he said after Roma’s Italian Cup last 16 win yesterday evening.
“I told my agent not to speak to anyone before we know if Roma want me to stay on or not,” added the Portuguese according to AFP.
“I don’t believe in the rumours linking other managers to this job. I’ve got confidence in the Friedkin Group (Roma’s American owners).
“I don’t doubt their honesty and I’ve got no reason to think they are negotiating with other coaches behind my back,” he continued.
The 60-year-old Mourinho took over the reins at Roma in July, 2021, with his current contract due to expire in June.
He led the Italian capital side to sixth in Serie A in the past two seasons, and won the inaugural Europa League Conference title in 2022, making it to the Europa League final last term.
With Roma placed seventh, 17 points adrift of leaders Inter Milan, Mourinho has publicly criticised the quality and depth of his squad.
He has had to be restrained in the transfer market due to the club being under financial fairplay restrictions.
Brazil meanwhile is suffering one of the worst crises in their long and stellar history, with the Selecao only sixth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Last week Carlo Ancelotti, who Brazil was hoping to appoint as their new manager, announced he was staying put at Real Madrid, extending his contract at the Spanish giants until 2026.
“My contract was up on June 30. The club has decided to do it now because they’re happy with our work,” said Ancelotti.
“I don’t know if it will be my last spell as a coach. I don’t know what will happen once I finish here. I might still be here in 2026, depending on how successful I am. I’d like to be Madrid coach until 2026, and hopefully I can continue to be here in 2027 and 2028 because I want to stay here.”
The extension leaves the Confederation of Brazilian Football red-faced after Ancelotti had long been linked to taking over from interim Brazil manager Fernando Diniz in 2024.
Ancelotti has severed those links with his contract extension but admitted that talks with the CBF took place.
“I want to be a coach. I like Madrid. I had contact with the former president of the CBF and I want to thank him for his interest. It was a source of pride, but it was always clear that it depended on my situation at Real Madrid. It’s turned out the way I wanted it to: to stay here,” explained Ancelotti.
Ancelotti’s commitment to Madrid, where he has won the Champions League twice, will prompt a new crisis at the CBF which is increasingly rudderless.
The organisation’s chairman Ednaldo Rodrigues was removed from his role by a court order and, while the court has ordered fresh elections, world federation FIFA is not pleased with what it considers third-party interference.
On the pitch, the Seleçao has also been struggling with Fernando Diniz overseeing the worst start in history to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
