Portugal: Too early to say - Jose Mourinho on Cristiano Ronaldo becoming manager after retirement

Jose Mourinho, the legendary Portuguese football manager, has stated that it is premature to ascertain whether Cristiano Ronaldo will turn his attention from playing to coaching after retiring from international football. Mourinho made these comments on Friday, following Ronaldo's announcement of his retirement from the national team, which concluded a 23-year career with Portugal.

The Real Madrid manager expressed his respect for Ronaldo's decision, acknowledging that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner still harbors ambitions to succeed in club football with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr. However, Mourinho conveyed his hope that Ronaldo's farewell as a footballer would be more positive than it was during his playing days.

When asked about the possibility of Ronaldo becoming a coach, Mourinho hesitated to make a definitive prediction, stating that it was too early to speculate. "As for whether I see him as a coach, I don't know what to say. It's still too early," he said. The manager emphasized that he respects Ronaldo's choice not to pursue coaching, adding that his position could change in the future.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has previously indicated little interest in becoming a manager upon retiring from professional football. Despite extending his contract with Al-Nassr, the Portuguese captain dismissed the idea of taking up a coaching role, although he admitted that his stance was not set in stone over the next five, 10, or even 20 years.

Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, having made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored a record 146 goals. During his illustrious time with the national team, Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the 2016 European Championship and secured three UEFA Nations League titles. His announcement coincided with reports of a dispute between him and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus, which resulted in Ronaldo's 30-day suspension from the national team camp for leaving the camp without authorization.