Jose Mourinho Names 2026 World Cup Favorites and Wishes Defeat for Real Madrid Stars

Renowned coach Jose Mourinho recently shared his expectations for the 2026 World Cup to be held in North America in an interview. While listing the tournament favorites, the experienced specialist expressed an unexpected wish regarding the players of the Real Madrid club he manages. In his opinion, it might be more beneficial for the club's interests if the Madrid stars are knocked out of their national teams earlier. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

Currently, Mourinho, who has taken the helm of Real Madrid for a second time, spoke with Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On podcast. The coach did not hide his confidence in his homeland. He views the Portugal national team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, as one of the main contenders for the trophy. At the same time, he noted that he traditionally expects great results from the England national team.

Prospects of England and Portugal

Mourinho said he has highly valued the potential of the England national team for many years. According to him, the English Premier League gathers the world's strongest players, and this should reflect at the national team level. "I always say England can be champions. We saw a great generation like Lampard, Gerrard, Terry, and Beckham. The current squad is also very strong, but they often stop due to small details like penalty shootouts," the coach noted.

Additionally, the specialist added that pressure from the English press and fans negatively affects the players. In his view, England has always had good coaches, but the level of responsibility and expectations hinders the players' freedom of movement. Nevertheless, he believes young stars like Jude Bellingham can change the situation this time.

Why should Real Madrid stars lose?

Mourinho's most interesting thoughts were related to his club's players. Real Madrid's squad includes leaders of their national teams such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham. The coach openly admitted that he wants these stars to exit the World Cup early. This was also highlighted by the ixbt.com publication.

The reason is simple — preparation for the club season and the players' physical condition. If the Madrid stars reach the final stages of the tournament, they will return to the club exhausted and late. This could damage Real Madrid's plans for the new season. For Mourinho, club interests and players' health take precedence over the success of national teams.

As a reminder, many records are expected to be broken at the upcoming World Cup. In particular, Cristiano Ronaldo entered history by scoring in a World Cup for the sixth time, and Lionel Messi became the all-time top scorer in the tournament's history. In such a competitive environment, Mourinho's pragmatic approach naturally causes heated discussions in the football world.