In search of a consistent goalscorer, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly preparing a £40m+ offer to sign Georges Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026.

The great weakness in Thomas Frank’s side this season has been their goalscoring struggles. With Dominic Solanke yet to return to full fitness, the likes of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani have struggled to truly take hold of the starting role – handing the Lilywhites a frustrating problem.

Kolo Muani has particularly struggled since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain and is still searching for his first Tottenham goal. With the North London derby against Arsenal up next, however, the forward has been passed fit and has the perfect opportunity to find the back of the net for the first time in the Premier League.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Arsenal game, Frank revealed early team news which included an update on Kolo Muani’s unexpected return to action after suffering a jaw injury before the break.

If the PSG loanee continues his run without a goal, then many around North London will be asking big questions. Tottenham chiefs are already reportedly searching for a striker and the Frenchman’s struggles could accelerate their plan to welcome La Liga star Mikautadze in 2026.

Tottenham readying Mikautadze offer

According to reports in Spain, Tottenham are now preparing a €50m (£44m) offer to sign Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026. A player who’s been compared to the great Diego Forlan by Spanish media, the 25-year-old has shown glimpses of his best form so far this season – scoring five goals in 14 games – and has entered Spurs’ radar as a result.

Tottenham's eye-watering 'initial offer' for Rodrygo after contacting Florentino Perez

Spurs reportedly mean business.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

After becoming a transfer flop at Ajax, the Georgian striker reinvented himself at FC Metz, before starring at Lyon to earn a summer switch to Villarreal. Now, he could be about to make the biggest move of his career courtesy of Tottenham.

Dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mikautadze has only kicked on since then to attract the interest of the Premier League. As Tottenham’s forwards continue to struggle, the 25-year-old should be seen as a serious option to consider next year.

Tottenham eyeing 'dream' move for striker likened to Diego Costa after Frank request

Former Red Sox outfielder and 2018 World Series champion Jackie Bradley Jr. has not played in the major leagues since the 2023 season. But instead of retiring, Bradley is taking a different path in an effort to extend his playing career.

Bradley was drafted with the No. 1 pick by the Indianapolis Clowns in the inaugural Banana Ball League draft on Thursday night. The exhibition baseball league, made famous by the Savannah Bananas, will play a 60-game schedule in 2026 featuring six teams: the Bananas, Clowns, Party Animals, Firefighters, Loco Beach Coconuts and the Texas Tailgaters.

The opportunity for Bradley to join the Banana Ball league, specifically with the Clowns, was a meaningful one. The Clowns' addition to Banana Ball next season is a revival of the club from their days in the Negro Leagues. The Clowns were disbanded in 1989, but have now been brought back to play in 2026.

"I feel like this was another opportunity to not only the league, but to be able to help the people behind me to…hopefully, catapult other African-American ballplayers to want to play the game," Bradley told ESPN.

The 2016 American League All-Star is not ruling out a return to the major leagues, but is also happy with where things stand in regard to his professional career.

"If there's an opportunity to go back, I would obviously weigh that," Bradley added. "If that's for my family, then I'm not going to rule out any opportunities. But it's not something I'm striving for. I'm very content with how my career has unfolded. I've been truly blessed. I'm just enjoying the moment."

أعلن سامي الطرابلسي المدير الفني لـ منتخب تونس، عن قائمة اللاعبين المنضمين إلى صفوف نسور قرطاج للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا.

تفصلنا أيام قليلة عن انطلاق بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقرر إقامتها في دولة المغرب آواخر شهر ديسمبر الجاري.

ويتواجد منتخب تونس في المجموعة الثالثة ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، مع منتخبات نيجيريا وأوغندا وتنزانيا.

وخرج منتخب تونس من منافسات مرحلة المجموعات لـ كأس العرب بعد الفوز بـ مباراة وحيدة والتعادل في أخرى وتلقى هزيمة واحدة.

طالع | محمد بن رمضان وعلي معلول يعلقان على خروج تونس من كأس العرب

وشهدت قائمة تونس تواجد محمد علي بن رمضان لاعب الأهلي وكذلك سيف الجزيري مهاجم الزمالك، بجانب انضمام الثنائي علي معلول وفرجاني ساسي. قائمة منتخب تونس لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025

حراسة المرمى: أيمن ححمان – بشير بن سعيد نور الدين فرحاتي – صبري بن حسن.

خط الدفاع: ياسين مرياح – منتصر الطالبي – ديلان برون آدم عروس – نادر الغندري – محمد بن علي- يان فاليري – على العابدي مرتضى بن وناس – على معلول.

خط الوسط: إلياس السخيري – حسام تقا – فرجاني ساسي-إسماعيل الغربي – محمد الحاج محمود – حنبعل المجبري- نعيم السليتي – محمد علي بن رمضان.

وفي الهجوم: إلياس سعد – إلياس العاشوري- سبستيان تونكتي – فراس شواط- حازم المستورى – سيف الدين الجزيري.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Observatório de Futebol do Centro Internacional de Estudos de Esporte (CIES Football Observatory) publicou um estudo, nesta quarta-feira (10), com todos os jogadores com projeção de valorização acima de 5 milhões de euros nos próximos seis meses. E a lista inclui uma promessa do Botafogo: o argentino Álvaro Montoro, de 18 anos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoBotafogo volta a apostar em promessa uruguaia; compare númerosBotafogo10/12/2025BotafogoBotafogo é condenado a pagar dívida milionária pela compra de Almada e corre risco de transfer banBotafogo09/12/2025BotafogoBotafogo inscreve Montoro, Barrera, Nathan e Kadir na Copinha 2026Botafogo09/12/2025

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Botafogo

O site especializado prevê que o valor de mercado do jovem aumentará 6,4 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 41 milhões), passando de € 26,4 milhões (R$ 169 milhões) para € 32,8 milhões (R$ 210 milhões), o que representa um crescimento de 24%.

Ao todo, a lista inclui 169 jogadores de 23 ligas diferentes. Outros quatro atletas do Brasileirão foram citados: Vitor Roque (Palmeiras), Alysson (Grêmio), Flaco López (Palmeiras) e Allan (Palmeiras). O líder geral é Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig), seguido por Nick Woltemade (Newcastle) e Bazoumana Touré (Hoffenheim).

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➡️ Botafogo volta a apostar em promessa uruguaia; compare números

Lucro garantido para o Botafogo?

O Alvinegro pagou € 7,9 milhões (R$ 50 milhões na época) de euros ao Vélez Sarsfield, da Argentina, por Montoro, que chegou no meio deste ano. Ou seja, caso consiga negociá-lo pelo valor de mercado previsto pelo CIES, já garantiria mais de quatro vezes o montante investido. O argentino tem potencial, inclusive, para ser a maior a venda da história do Botafogo: o posto atualmente pertence a Luiz Henrique, negociado com o Zenit, da Rússia, por 35 milhões de euros (R$ 220 milhões na época).

Tratado com muito carinho por Davide Ancelotti devido à pouca idade, o meia já fez 23 jogos pelo clube, com quatro gols marcados. No último jogo do Brasileirão desta temporada, contra o Fortaleza, deixou a sua marca em linda finalização de chapa.

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Tudo sobre

Botafogo

The Red Sox bolstered their starting pitching rotation on Thursday, having agreed to acquire right-handed starting pitcher Johan Oviedo in a trade with the Pirates.

The deal reportedly includes five players in total, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The highlight of the package Boston is sending to Pittsburgh is the Red Sox’s No. 3 prospect and top outfield prospect, Jhostynxon Garcia.

Oviedo, 27, made nine starts for the Pirates in 2025. He registered an ERA of 3.57 and had 42 strikeouts across 40 1/3 innings. Oviedo missed the entire ‘24 campaign and part of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. His last full season of work came in 2023, when he made 32 starts and had a 4.31 ERA.

In addition to Oviedo, the Red Sox will also receive left-handed pitcher Tyler Samaniego and catching prospect, 2025 fifth-round pick Adonys Guzman. The Pirates will also acquire another player alongside Garcia.

Garcia, 22, saw his first taste of MLB action in 2025, when he appeared in five games for the Red Sox. He struck out five times in a total of seven at-bats. Across 114 games in the minor leagues last season, he had a .810 OPS with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Oviedo is now the second starting pitcher the Red Sox acquired this offseason. The team traded for Sonny Gray in late November, and now will add Oviedo to the mix, too.

The visitors have a cushion of 522 runs to pick up the eight wickets they need on the final day of the Guwahati Test

Sidharth Monga25-Nov-20252:10

Philander: ‘South Africa playing mind games with India’

South Africa ensured their first series win in India in 25 years by building on their lead for nearly five hours. While the declaration, setting India more than they have ever been set at home, seemed a touch conservative, the visitors went to stumps needing eight wickets on the final day to take away all 12 WTC points from this Test and consign India to their second whitewash at home in 12 months after 12 years of spotless series record.As it often happens in such match situations, the same pitch that South Africa batted on, looking untroubled for 70.3 overs, began to look unplayable in the 15.5 India got to play. Marco Jansen didn’t even bother with swing and seam, and began to bounce Yashasvi Jaiswal before getting him out on the cut shot. Simon Harmer, who has out-bowled the home spinners, continued his dream series with a dream offbreak to bowl KL Rahul through the gate, and came desperately close to getting B Sai Sudharsan out lbw.The day began with curiosity around how much South Africa valued the 12 full points from this match vis-a-vis ensuring they give India no chance to threaten their series lead. Turns out they were in no mood for adventure. Especially as the ball started to turn more consistently in the first session of the fourth day than it had done at any point before. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar got long spells in. Jadeja got Ryan Rickelton caught at extra cover, but then India did what they have struggled to do all Test: get wickets on defensive shots. Jadeja beat Aiden Markram’s outside edge and hit the off stump, Washington got one to bite at Temba Bavuma’s glove and settle in the hands of backward short leg.As three wickets fell for 18 runs, South Africa remained slightly cautious. Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi, though, managed to keep the threat of spin out with their sweeps and reverse sweeps. After Rishabh Pant missed a stumping off Stubbs, the No. 3 batter limited his options to just the sweeps whenever he wanted to force the pace.3:49

Can India’s youngsters grind out a draw?

Stubbs and de Zorzi added 101 for the fourth wicket, 41 of those in sweeps and reverse sweeps. Like Stubbs in the first innings, de Zorzi fell one short of a fifty, beaten on the sweep for a change. It was mid-afternoon and South Africa led by 466, but they still continued to bat at normal pace.Related

• Harmer flips Test cricket in India upside down

• India suffer 68 balls from hell in a hellish year at home

• Jansen reaches great heights and carries South Africa with him

• Live: Harmer six-for seals whitewash, India's heaviest defeat

Only after the lunch break did Stubbs get a move-on to try to complete a Test hundred, but even this charge was not frenetic. The team management gave him all the time as he scored 32 from the last 19 balls he faced, taking the lead past the 542 that Australia attained in Nagpur in 2004. He slog-swept Jadeja to go from 88 to 94, but Jadeja slowed the ball down to beat a repeat attempt. Stubbs still was the highest run-getter in the series (163), and would need a big effort from someone in the final innings to be eclipsed.That effort wasn’t coming from the openers. India have done this to many a visiting side – just when everybody thought they had been too conservative with the declaration, the pitch would magically change its nature and wickets would start falling.Something similar happened when Jansen ran in and started bowling short. In the first over itself, he had Jaiswal fending uncomfortably. One didn’t pop up, the other landed just short of second slip. While Jaiswal managed to ramp him once, he fell to his favourite cut shot again. Since Jaiswal’s debut, nobody has scored more Test runs with the cut off fast bowlers than his 291, but no one has got out as often as his seven times. Nobody has played as many false shots as he has on the cut to the fast bowler: 68. He averages 41.57 on the cut against fast bowlers, but has fallen to this shot four times in his last eight innings.3:19

Saba Karim: Spinners need long spell to set up batters

Rahul was more traditional in the route he took to fight for a draw. He scored just 6 off 30 balls, but the 30th was a bewitching dipping, drifting delivery, which had him playing well away from where he thought it would originally pitch. In panic, he turned his drive into a flick, but it wasn’t enough to plug the gap created between his body and his bat. Harmer was again level with Jansen for most wickets in the series: 12.Harmer came extremely close to taking the lead when he appealed for lbw against Sai Sudharsan. In all likelihood, the on-field call for not-out was down to an inside edge, but the replay showed the ball had hit the pad first. However, the ball tracking returned an umpire’s call on impact, saving Sudharsan to fight another day.India somehow survived the rest of the day but it looked like a wicket could fall anytime. South Africa now have six hours to take eight wickets because the light has consistently dipped by 4pm, not allowing any extra play.

The home side were bundled out for 128 at the SCG to put Victoria course to make it four wins from four

Andrew McGlashan11-Nov-2025Steven Smith played a lone hand for New South Wales as the home side endured a forgettable day against Victoria at the SCG.Smith batted on a different level to his team-mates as NSW were bundled out for 128 with Sam Elliott, who represented Australia A during the winter, taking a career-best 5 for 26 in his first Sheffield Shield game of the season after Scott Boland had removed Sam Konstas for the sixth time.”It’s a bit surreal, to be honest,” Elliott said of bowling to Smith for the first time in first-class cricket. “The cricket nuffy in me sort of pinched myself a little bit…you watch him play for Australia growing up and see all those innings that he plays. I mean, today, his bat looked like it was five times wider than everyone else.”Related

England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

Starc fires up after search for rhythm but Handscomb hits 'special' hundred

NSW’s collapse meant that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood had only 50 overs of rest with Victoria opting to build on their 254-run lead rather than enforce the follow-on. After his opening-day century Peter Handscomb had noted there were signs of cracks that could open and there were occasional indications of some variable bounce during Tuesday’s play.Victoria had extended their first innings to 382, where Nathan Lyon finished with 4 for 82, and the NSW openers made it through to lunch unscathed but it all went badly wrong from there as all ten wickets fell for 102 and the last seven for 57.Offspinner Todd Murphy started the slide when he had Ryan Hicks, who was subbed into the game yesterday in place of the injured Will Salzmann, taken at slip from a leading edge.Konstas, meanwhile, had battled through 58 balls for 12 runs when Boland produced a beauty which nipped back between bat and pad. It was a familiar manner of dismissal for Konstas but an excellent ball that would have removed plenty of batters.Murphy claimed his second when he found the edge of Kurtis Patterson. The left-hander had advanced down the pitch but was beaten in the air. Ollie Davies looked far from pleased with his lbw decision when an inswinger from Fergus O’Neill took him on the back leg.Steven Smith drives through the off side•Getty ImagesAll the while Smith, who was warmly applauded to the crease, batted serenely having opened his account with a strong clip off the legs. He started his season with 118 against Queensland and again looked in excellent touch.”Smithy is Smithy, isn’t he?” Lyon said. “He trusted his defence and allowed himself time to get in the game. He would have faced close to 100 balls. In my eyes, if you allow yourself to get in and face as many balls as you can, that’s when you give yourself the opportunity to score runs. That’s what Pete [Handscomb] and Smithy have done.”Smith and Josh Philippe tried to stabilise the innings but shortly before tea Elliott started to have his impact when Philippe and then Jack Edwards were taken in the slips. The end came swiftly after the break. Sean Abbott spooned to point, giving the pitch a stare as he made his way off, and Starc was taken in the gully off Boland.Next ball, Smith decided it was time to cut loose but could only spoon to mid-on and Elliott completed his five-wicket haul when he bowled Hazlewood.Faced with a huge deficit, Starc removed Harry Dixon for the second time in the game, and appeared to offer a few words to the batter, then Campbell Kellaway was brilliantly caught by Josh Philippe, diving low to his left but Victoria were handsomely placed to make it four wins from four.

Roberto Martinez has revealed what makes Cristiano Ronaldo special, with Portugal’s national team boss explaining the GOAT mentality that has allowed CR7 to break all kinds of records. The legendary forward is still going strong at 40 years of age, with Adebayo Akinfenwa’s ‘Beast Mode On’ podcast being informed of why a unique character has been able to enjoy such longevity.

• Ronaldo targets: 1,000 goals and 2026 World Cup

  Ronaldo has spent more than two decades at the peak of his powers, with a remarkable international career seeing him collect 226 caps while registering 143 goals. He has been locked in a relentless battle for recognition and major prizes with eternal rival Lionel Messi, with that competition helping to bring the best out of both.

  There is no sign of Ronaldo slowing down, with a new contract through to 2027 being signed in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr. He is determined to reach 1,000 competitive goals and will captain his country when gracing a sixth World Cup finals in 2026.

  Ronaldo has raised the bar of individual brilliance to a height that few will ever get close to reaching, with iconic spells being taken in at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He is one of a kind, with unwavering belief and determination having carried him to the very top.

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• Unique talent: What makes Ronaldo the GOAT?

  Quizzed on what sets Ronaldo apart, Martinez told : “For me, without doubt, it is because his success doesn’t change his commitment to the next thing. When you win something, the next day there is less hunger. Cristiano is a person, is a player that whatever happens yesterday doesn’t affect what he does today.

  “I don’t know if it’s genetic, if you can work on it, this is the reality. He has got this incredible need to use every day to be the best that he can. That could be in terms of recovering, the training, finishing, whatever aspect that he feels he needs to work on. He is not going to leave anything that he can affect and become better. It doesn’t matter if he scores a hat-trick or he doesn’t score and missed three chances, his preparation as soon as the final whistle goes will always be methodical and perfectly preparing for the next day. That’s something that has given him longevity.

  “I always said that the footballer was retiring when the body was telling the brain ‘Look, I’m finished’. With Cristiano, I have learned it’s not like that. It’s the brain that tells the body it’s time to finish. He has got this capacity of wanting to be the best every day that he is involved in sport. I have never seen that hunger ever before at the same level.”

• Special treatment: Portugal block out Ronaldo 'noise'

  Martinez currently boasts the honour of working with Ronaldo. Asked what that is like and whether the all-time great enjoys any special treatment, the 52-year-old Spaniard said: “First and foremost, you have to treat every player, individually, in a separate way. There are no two people that are the same.

  “Obviously you have got Cristiano Ronaldo the player, that is in the dressing room and is somebody that wants to prepare in the best possible way because what he has done in his career – the longevity – is because he is meticulous, he is a winner, he is a hungry individual. You need to match that.

  “What is important is always to get the expectations of every single player in the space that we are working with. Then there is another phenomenon that you cannot control – that noise. You are talking about somebody that is more than a footballer, somebody who the numbers in social media represent that he is followed well beyond football fans – you are talking about 600 million followers. He is probably the most famous individual in the world. That doesn’t come along to what is our demand in the dressing room, and his demands.

  “We always need to get the best of our players and you need to create an environment that he gets that. The rest you need to recognise as noise and if it doesn’t affect the group internally, you need to accept it for what it is. You cannot lose time on trying to change that because it is impossible to control.”

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  Inspirational figure: Ronaldo demands nothing but the best

  Ronaldo is now held up as an inspiration to those around him, but knows that he still has to fight for his place. Martinez went on to say: “You always try to gather inspiration, stimulation, by people in sport that have achieved something that nobody has achieved before. He is a very clear example of that. He has got landmarks, playing over 225 games for a national team – no other has done it – his goalscoring record, what he has had many times in his career – 21 years of service in the national team – those are given examples for the players that are now sharing the dressing room.

  “What is important is his commitment to the team. That is what is essential, to measure that because it gets to a point that the competition for places is the same for everybody. At the level of a national team, constantly your position is at risk.”

  Ronaldo will, fitness permitting, form part of Portugal’s plans at next summer’s World Cup. He is a two-time UEFA Nations League winner, with a European Championship title to his name from 2016, and will be determined to emulate Messi by capturing a global crown before history-making boots are hung up for good.

Bavuma and Esterhuizen also struck half-centuries in what was the sixth-highest successful chase in India

Shashank Kishore09-Nov-2025

Connor Esterhuizen showcased his impressive game against spin in a bludgeoning 52 not out that helped South Africa A beat fading light to chase down 417 five wickets in hand against India A at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. This was the highest fourth-innings chase in a first-class game in India since 2016, and the sixth-highest ever in the country.Esterhuizen’s innings comprised eight fours and a six, as he helped South Africa A convert a tricky chase in the final hour into a cruise. His unbroken sixth-wicket partnership with Tiaan van Vuuren was worth 65 off just 52 balls.While Esterhuizen delivered the knockout blow to India A, the chase was set up by Lesego Senokwane and Jordan Hermann. The openers put on 156, much of it during the course of a wicketless morning session where they took the attack to Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.Even Kuldeep Yadav wasn’t spared, but it also helped South Africa A that he was far from his best on a surface that didn’t aid spin as much as he would have hoped for. With the surface showing no signs of breaking down, Kuldeep hardly found turn and was easily picked off as Senokwane and Hermann didn’t allow him to settle. When he went full, he was imperiously driven. When he bowled shorter, the turn was so slow that it gave batters enough time to play him comfortably off the back foot.Hermann did the early running when he hammered an off-colour Akash Deep for four boundaries – an off-drive, two cover drives, and a square drive behind point. He soon got to his half-century, off 73 deliveries. India A’s frustration stemmed from the edges not carrying. The lateral movement that was there on the first two days and a bit also went missing.Jordan Hermann scored 91•PTI

Senokwane soon followed suit, albeit sedately, getting to his half-century off 113 deliveries. Having played cautiously against the fast bowlers, he was severe on left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, whom he welcomed with a superb slog sweep. Hermann was equally punishing, using the paddle sweep as Dubey struggled to vary his pace – he was guilty of bowling too quickly.Hermann had a slice of luck on 66 when a rip-roaring bouncer that rushed him for pace lobbed off the glove only to land behind Rishabh Pant as he ran backwards. But even half-chances like those were far and few in between.Prasidh provided the breakthrough when Hermann smashed a full toss back towards the bowler. Fortunately for India A, it got stuck in Prasidh’s hand and Hermann had to walk back for 91. The wicket briefly fired India A’s seamers, Siraj, in particular, as he delivered a telling spell in the afternoon, beating Senokwane a handful of times and then exchanging some words with him.All that seemed to have affected Senokwane as he was lulled into a sweep that he missed and was lbw to Dubey on 77. This brought Zubayr Hamza and Temba Bavuma to the crease – the only two batters from this squad to feature in the Test squad – and they added 107 for the third wicket to bring the target in the double digits.Having bagged a first-ball duck in the first innings, Bavuma was more sedate and copybook in his approach; Hamza was a bit more enterprising and looked to take the bowlers on from the get-go to make a push for the target.In between, India A had a scare when Siraj hurt himself trying to stop the ball at mid-off and immediately rushed off the field for treatment. Pant too didn’t keep for two sessions with Jurel taking over the gloves. It was established much later that the decision to take Pant off the field was keeping in mind the workload he has had over the past two games – with both bat and gloves.Hamza fell when he got an inside edge onto the stumps off Prasidh, and Bavuma fell soon after. India A had an opening with the visitors needing 89 when Marques Ackerman was bounced out by Siraj, only for replays to confirm the bowler had overstepped. Ackerman was eventually caught behind for 24 to bring Esterhuizen to the crease. The mood of the game changed considerably thereafter as he took the attack to Kuldeep and Dubey to seal victory in fading light.

Cristiano Ronaldo could, if he extends his international career beyond the 2026 World Cup, be in line for a reunion with Jose Mourinho. That is because the self-anointed ‘Special One’ is considered to be a guaranteed pick as next manager of the Portugal national team. Mourinho is currently with Benfica, with his recent struggles on the trophy-winning front being explained.

When did Mourinho last win a major trophy?

Mourinho is one of the most decorated coaches to have ever graced a dugout, with the Champions League crown being captured with Porto and Inter. He has also landed domestic titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.

Memorable spells have been taken in as boss of Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid, while also spending time with Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce. Mourinho returned to his roots in September when taking over at Benfica.

The 62-year-old has lost none of his appetite for success, but last hoisted major silverware aloft in 2022 when Roma captured the Conference League crown. The Portuguese league title is in danger of slipping out of reach this season, as Benfica sit nine points off the pace, meaning that a barren run on the silverware front could extend to four years.

AdvertisementAFPIs Mourinho still special? Trophy toil explained

Quizzed on whether Mourinho is as ‘special’ as he once was, former Porto midfielder Pedro Mendes – speaking to Boyle Sports, who offer the latest Football Betting – said: “Well, at the time it was different. He was one of a kind. It was really a pleasure to work under him, under his command. But football changed a lot. A lot of things changed in football. New managers, new ideas, new football approaches, new game approaches, new systems that we never heard of in the past.

“But what I can see hasn’t changed is his presence, his speech, the way he faces the press, the way he talks to the players, the way he talks to the press regarding his players. I can see that has never changed. Recently he has struggled a little bit, but that's a sign of the times.”

Next Portugal manager: Mourinho tipped to take the reins

It remains to be seen how long Mourinho will remain in club management, as questions of his methods – and whether they are becoming slightly outdated – begin to mount in intensity. He is tied to a contract at Benfica through to the summer of 2027.

Mourinho has never hidden the fact that he would like to manage Portugal at some point, with that role currently being filled by Roberto Martinez. How long the Spaniard remains in that post could be determined by performances at the 2026 World Cup.

Mendes expects Mourinho to step in eventually, saying: “Everyone in football in Portugal believes that one day Jose Mourinho will be our national team manager. When he was out of a job, I don't know if Roberto Martinez had failed somehow, he could have jumped in straight away, but Roberto Martínez won one of the Nations League tournaments and he's doing a fantastic job now for the World Cup qualifiers.

“Jose Mourinho just signed for Benfica a few months ago, so we need to wait on that. But I think one day he will. I think he will. I think he also has this desire.”

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Getty2030 World Cup: How long will Ronaldo play on for?

Taking the reins with Portugal could see Mourinho work with Ronaldo again, with the pair having previously spent three years together at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013. CR7 is showing no sign of slowing down at 40 years of age.

Remarkable individual standards are being maintained at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, with more Golden Boots being secured in the Middle East, while 1,000 career goals remain an obvious target for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Ronaldo has reached 226 caps and 143 goals for his country, over the course of a 22-year international career, and is expected to grace next summer’s World Cup. It has even been suggested that the evergreen frontman could play on to Euro 2028 and another global gathering on home soil in 2030 – which would give him the chance to work under Mourinho again.