Jorge Jesus confirmed this Monday he was in deep talks last year to take the reins of the Brazilian national team, a move that would have completely shaken up international football. This bombshell came out after the Portugal national team officially hired him on July 10, bringing him in to replace the dismissed Roberto Martínez following their FIFA 2026 World Cup exit in the round of 16 after a tough 1-0 defeat to Spain. Jesus, the former Flamengo manager, wasted no time spilling the beans on his near-miss with Brazil.
The Brazil Job That Nearly Was
It turns out Jesus was a real contender for the Brazil coaching spot. He revealed he’d already been given hints to start putting together Brazil’s preliminary squad list for a match scheduled for March. This all happened after Dorival Júnior was shown the door following a brutal 4-1 loss to Argentina. Brazil’s next commitment in the FIFA window was in June 2025, but that’s when Carlo Ancelotti stepped in to make his debut as Brazil’s coach. So, Jesus almost had it, coming so close to leading one of the biggest teams in the world after their qualifying defeat to South American rivals.
Ancelotti’s Squad Gets a Reality Check From JJ
Not content with just revealing his near-coaching miss, Jorge Jesus then took a clear shot at Carlo Ancelotti’s squad selection for the 2026 World Cup. When asked what he would have done differently, Jesus pointed out the incredible depth of Brazilian talent “all over the world” and the “lot of quality in the Brazilian Championship.” He admitted he wouldn’t have called up a totally different squad, maybe just “one or two players” or “one to three different players.” But here’s the kicker: Jesus declared that Pedro, his former player at Flamengo, is the country’s best “striker” and absolutely deserved a spot among those called up. He admitted it was “a little biased” but stood by his guy. While he agreed with “most of what [Ancelotti] did,” Jesus made it clear that “the way of looking at the game and training is the difference.” That’s a pretty strong statement on how he views Ancelotti’s approach versus his own!
What a wild turn of events for Jorge Jesus. He’s now officially leading Portugal, taking over a squad looking for a new direction after their World Cup stumble. You have to wonder what might have been for Brazil if those talks had gone through. With Jesus now at the helm for Portugal, it’s clear he’s bringing his strong opinions and tactical vision to the international stage.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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