The relationship between Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho has come to an end. Just two days after suffering a 1-0 defeat in the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Benfica, the club where he began his coaching career, the Portuguese manager has officially left the Turkish team, as announced by the club on Friday morning. Mourinho took over at Fenerbahce in the summer of 2024, finishing second in the 2024-25 table behind rivals Galatasaray, and was ousted in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League by Rangers via penalties. Just two matches into the new league season (comprising one win and one draw) and with their Champions League exit against Benfica confirmed, both the club and the Portuguese coach have mutually decided to part ways, leaving the Turkish team just days ahead of the summer transfer window’s closure.
After leading teams like Real Madrid, Inter, Chelsea, and AS Roma, Mourinho decided to take on the Turkish side but fell short of qualifying for the Champions League group stage this season, a disappointment that ultimately resulted in both sides terminating their working relationship after just one season.
What lies ahead for Mourinho?
Following his Fenerbahce stint, it’s expected that the Special One will return to one of the top five European leagues, though possibly not until the summer of 2026. Prior to joining Fenerbahce, he managed AS Roma from 2021 to 2024, securing the UEFA Conference League during his time there, but a swift return to coaching in the Premier League or another top European league in the near future seems unlikely, given the early stage of the season and the numerous managerial changes that have taken place at several top clubs this summer. There is, however, one significant exception. Speculation regarding a potential return to Manchester United will undoubtedly rise in the coming days, following the unsatisfactory beginning of the season under Ruben Amorim, but forecasting Mourinho’s future remains challenging, especially considering the unpredictability of his recent decisions when he joined AS Roma and Fenerbahce.
Even though he has expressed a desire to continue coaching at a club level in the future, we shouldn’t overlook the potential for him to take the reins of the Portuguese national team following the 2026 World Cup. The Portuguese FA aimed to recruit him in January 2023 post-2022 World Cup in Qatar, but the Special One opted to remain at AS Roma, turning down the offer. Portugal appointed Roberto Martinez, who led the team to victory in the 2025 UEFA Nations League this summer, indicating that there will likely be no further managerial changes prior to next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Should the tournament not progress as hoped next summer, Mourinho’s name will surely resurface in discussions within the Portuguese FA for a new cycle leading towards the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.
