According to a report by Daily Post on Friday November 6, 2026, Jose Mourinho has admitted that it is too early to determine whether Cristiano Ronaldo will become a football manager after bringing his professional playing career to an end.

The Real Madrid manager was speaking to journalists at Valdebebas on Friday, a day after Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football, ending his remarkable 23-year career with Portugal.

Ronaldo's announcement brought an end to one of the most successful international careers in football history, with the 41-year-old finishing with 234 appearances and a record 146 goals for his country.

Mourinho, who previously worked with Ronaldo at Real Madrid, said he respected the forward's decision but admitted that he would have preferred a different kind of farewell for the Portuguese legend.

The former Manchester United manager also pointed out that Ronaldo has not retired from professional football, as he still has ambitions to achieve with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

"His decision must be respected, and I respect it. He hasn’t finished his career; those who know him know he still has goals for his career, and the only thing I would like is for his retirement as a player to be different from yesterday’s," Mourinho told reporters.

Mourinho was also asked whether he could imagine Ronaldo following in his footsteps by becoming a football manager after retiring from playing.

However, the Portuguese tactician refused to make any prediction about the future of his former player, insisting that it was too early to know what direction Ronaldo would take after football.

"As for whether I see him as a coach, I don’t know what to say. It’s still too early," he added.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has previously expressed doubts about taking up a coaching role after retiring from professional football.

Following the announcement of his contract extension with Al-Nassr, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward made it clear that becoming a manager was not part of his immediate plans.

"Being a coach? Right now, I can say I will never be one, although ‘never’ is a strong word. The reality is that it’s not in my plans in five, 10, or even 20 years," Ronaldo said.

Nevertheless, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner did not completely rule out changing his mind in the future.

Ronaldo's international retirement brings to a close an extraordinary period with Portugal. He helped his country win the 2016 European Championship and three UEFA Nations League titles, establishing himself as one of the greatest players to represent the national team.

His announcement also came amid reports of tension between him and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo had reportedly left the national team camp without permission after being excluded from a Nations League fixture, leading to a 30-day suspension imposed by the Portuguese Football Federation.

Despite the circumstances surrounding his international departure, Ronaldo remains active at club level with Al-Nassr and has not indicated that he is ready to end his playing career.