According to a report by Daily Post on Friday, November 6, 2026, Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho, has said it is too early to determine whether Cristiano Ronaldo will venture into coaching after retiring from professional football, insisting that the Portuguese forward still has ambitions to achieve in his playing career.

Mourinho spoke to journalists at Valdebebas on Friday, a day after Ronaldo announced his decision to retire from international football, ending his 23-year career with Portugal.

The former Real Madrid manager said he respected the 41-year-old's decision but wished he had received a different farewell as a player.

“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 said.

Asked whether he could see Ronaldo becoming a football manager in the future, Mourinho declined to make a prediction, saying it was too early to determine the direction of his former player's career after retirement.

Ronaldo, however, has previously indicated that coaching is not part of his immediate plans after football. Following his contract extension with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said he had little interest in managing a team, although he admitted that his position could change..

The Portuguese captain announced his international retirement on Thursday after making 234 appearances and scoring a record 146 goals for his country. He won the 2016 European Championship and three UEFA Nations League titles during his time with Portugal.

His announcement followed reports of tension with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus, amid claims that he left the national team camp without permission after being excluded from a Nations League fixture, resulting in a 30-day suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation.