Jose Mourinho has made a clear-cut prediction for the role that one former Manchester United star will play for his country at Euro 2024 in Germany this summer.
Euro 2024 will officially kick off on 14th June when host nation Germany face Scotland in their Group A opener in Munich.
Defending European Championship holders Italy are in Group B and will face Croatia, Spain and Albania in their bid to reach the knockout stages of the competition.
Italy are currently under the management of Luciano Spalletti and were previously managed by Roberto Mancini, who led the country to victory in the Euro 2020 final.
Manchester United players have been called up for international duty this summer, both for Euro 2024 in Germany and the 2024 Copa America in the United States.
Both Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw have been named in the England squad, while Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund have secured a place in the Denmark squad.
Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho have been included in the Argentina squad for their country’s Copa America title defence this summer.
Jose Mourinho has already shared his feelings on Euro 2024, including his prediction for who will lift the trophy and the three strongest teams at the tournament.
Mourinho’s prediction for former Man Utd star
Jose Mourinho made his hotly anticipated return to management after he took up the head coach role at Turkish side Fenerbahce earlier this month.
The former Manchester United boss, who was sacked by Roma back in January, had claimed that he had the chance to become Portugal manager in the past.
Portugal are among the favourites to win Euro 2024 this summer after an impressive qualifying campaign under manager Roberto Martinez.
The Euro 2016 champions comfortably topped Group J in the Euro 2024 qualifying round, with Roberto Martinez’s men winning all 10 of their matches.
United duo Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes have both been named in Martinez’s squad for Euro 2024 in Germany.
Martinez, who replaced Fernando Santos as head coach in 2023, has also called up United legend Cristiano Ronaldo for his Euro 2024 squad.
Mourinho has predicted that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo won’t leave the European Championship tournament without finding the back of the net.
When asked about Ronaldo, the ‘Special One’ told RTP (via the Metro): “The coach knows.
“Cristiano is the one who knows how he feels, what his goals are, how the coach wants to use him, whether to play every minute of every game or protect him in key moments.
“But there’s a lot that goes on inside that gets between them. He has a lot of influence and he will score his goals.
“I don’t believe he will leave the European Championship without goals.”
Mourinho rates Portugal boss Martinez
Portugal will begin their Euro 2024 campaign on 18th June in their Group F opener against the Czech Republic before facing Turkey and Georgia.
Mourinho praised the work of Portugal boss Roberto Martinez ahead of Euro 2024 and believes the former Belgium boss can lead the country to the title this summer.
“We’re in the Euro with a coach who has done an excellent job, with an excellent generation of players,” he told reporters in Portugal in May.
“I want everything to go well, and for this group of players, going well means winning. By winning, [Martinez] will continue, and this group of players will continue with him and go to the next World Cup.”