Former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has congratulated Spain coach Luis de la Fuente for his fine work in guiding La Roja to the Euro 2024 title, but has also given himself some of the credit for their win, albeit slightly tongue in cheek.
The Portuguese coach noted that he was the one to hand Real Madrid debuts to Nacho Fernandez, who lifted the Champions League as captain of Real Madrid this season, and Alvaro Morata, who captained Spain to the title. “Many congratulations to them and to the coach who gave them their debut when they were just kids in the academy,” he said alongside laughing faces.
He did take some of the blame for not doing so with Dani Carvajal. Mourinho said at the time he ‘did not understand Dani Carvajal was another one’. Carvajal would leave for Bayer Leverkusen, but Los Blancos would activate their buyback clause to bring him back the following summer. It was rumoured that Mourinho could have been in charge of Portugal before Roberto Martinez was appointed, but his debut in international football will have to wait.
