The FIFA World Cup is every footballer’s biggest dream. For Jose Mourinho, however, it has created a rather unusual dilemma. While millions of fans are hoping to see their favourite stars go all the way, the new Real Madrid manager is quietly rooting for the exact opposite. With pre-season around the corner and several of his biggest names still chasing World Cup glory, Mourinho admits he would rather see them return to Madrid than lift football’s most coveted trophy.
Mourinho’s brutally honest confession has quickly gone viral, offering a rare glimpse into the club-versus-country balancing act every elite manager faces.
Speaking on the Beast Mode On podcast with former England striker Adebayo AkinfenwaMourinho was asked what he was looking forward to most at the World Cup.
His response left Akinfenwa laughing.
“You want the truth? I want Real Madrid players to lose and go on holiday. Because I want the guys back in pre-season,” Mourinho said.
Behind the joke lies a genuine concern.
Real Madrid begin pre-season on July 13, six days before the World Cup final. Any player who reaches the latter stages of the tournament is expected to receive an extended break before reporting back, reducing their preparation time ahead of the new campaign.That scenario is becoming increasingly likely.
Arda Guler is currently the only Real Madrid player whose World Cup journey has ended after Turkiye’s group-stage exit. The club’s remaining internationals have either already booked their place in the Round of 32 or are strongly favoured to get there.
Real Madrid are one of the best-represented clubs at the World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Vinicius Junior and Endrick (Brazil), Antonio Rudiger (Germany), Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Brahim Diaz (Morocco) and David Alaba (Austria) all still in contention.
Mourinho also outlined the qualities he expects from his players ahead of the new season.
“A great player must be the complete package: technically gifted, physically and mentally strong, and capable of playing as part of a team. Sometimes you have many like that in your squad and it is paradise – other times you have fewer and the work becomes much harder”, The Portugese coach said.
Despite the excitement surrounding the tournament, Mourinho admitted he hasn’t been captivated by much of the football so far.
“Some of the matches, after 10 minutes, I switch off. I don’t like the feeling,” he said.
The Portuguese coach believes the expanded tournament has produced too many one-sided contests.
“For me, the World Cup is the top of the top. Scores like 7-1 and 5-1 should not be possible,” he said.
However, Mourinho expects the competition to truly come alive once the knockout rounds begin.
“I think I am going to start watching properly from the knockout stages. Brazil-Morocco was a great game. Other games, I had some nice dinners and some nice sleeps. I didn’t stay awake at 3 AM to watch the matches. No chance!” he joked.
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