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Jose Mourinho admitted that he wanted to take over the reins of the Portuguese national team, but understands why the leaders of Madrid did not allow him to do so.
The Portuguese Football Federation wanted Mourinho to lead the national team in two European Championship qualifying matches.
"For two days I thought and felt like the coach of the Portuguese national team," Mourinho said. "I liked it, but Real is a huge club that bought me from Inter Milan, which pays me a salary and cannot risk its members and fans."
He added: "Therefore, looking at their decision from this perspective is not difficult to understand."
The new national team coach was named 47-year-old Paulo Bento.
