Jose Mourinho has said going to Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce was a mistake on his part.
Mourinho, 62, has been a free agent since being sacked by Fenerbahce last month following their failure to qualify for the Champions League .
The Portuguese’s availability had triggered a wave of speculation over his next destination, but reports earlier this week strongly linked him with Benfica after they sacked former Wolves boss Bruno Lage .
Benfica confirmed the appointment on Thursday in a statement to the country’s Securities Market Commission.
The revealing they had reached an agreement with Mourinho to sign ‘a sports employment contract to be valid until the end of the 2026-27 sports season’.
At his unveiling press conference, Mourinho (via Daily Mail) immediately reflected on his most recent job and outlined his expectations for Benfica.
“My career has been rich, I’ve coached in different countries, I made the wrong choice, but I have no regrets. But I’m aware of what we did well or poorly. I made a mistake going to Fenerbahce, but I gave everything until the last day. Coaching Benfica is returning to my level.”
He also struck a bullish tone about what Benfica can achieve under his leadership, telling reporters: ‘Promises are worth what they’re worth.
“At the time, at FC Porto, I promised and could have broken them. I truly believe Benfica has everything it takes to win the championship. They’ve lost two points, and we’ll certainly lose more, hopefully not many, but we’re starting from scratch.
“Benfica has the potential in the dressing room to be champions, but I’m not hiding that. Not a promise, but the conviction that we can and should make it happen. The context for me is coaching one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
