Jose Mourinho delivers damning assessment of Portugal’s Euro 2024 after quarter-final exit, and names the team that has been the ‘biggest surprise’ at the tournament

Jose Mourinho has hit out at Portugal following their exit from Euro 2024.

The new Fenerbahce boss was unhappy with how his nation performed, with Roberto Martinez’s side being knocked out on penalties by France in the quarter-finals.

Mourinho was in attendance for Portugal’s defeat to Croatia prior to the tournament and admitted that it ‘didn’t smell good’ in the stadium and that he ‘didn’t get a great feeling.’ 

Mourinho told Sport TV: ‘There is always frustration when you feel that you could do better. The team’s potential was extremely high.

‘I wasn’t far off the mark when I said that Portugal, France and England were the favourites. Two of them are in the semi-finals.

Portugal, including Cristiano Ronaldo, were eliminated on penalties by France

‘Spain is the biggest surprise for me, in the way the team has evolved, they are practically a new team. For me, at the moment, they are the team that plays the best and the one that has played the best throughout the tournament.

‘Portugal wasn’t fantastic, despite reaching the quarter-finals. We expected more. I was at the National Stadium for the Portugal-Croatia match and it didn’t smell good. I didn’t get a great feeling.’

Mourinho added that there ‘wasn’t any improvement’ in the Portugal side during the tournament. 

Despite the difficulties that they endured in Germany, Mourinho believes that there is still a bright future ahead for Portugal. 

He said: ‘During the tournament we were the team that was making progress, but we weren’t convincing.

‘Often, when the moment of truth comes, these teams are stronger. This wasn’t the end of Portugal, there wasn’t any improvement in the team.

‘But it’s a young team, apart from the two veterans [Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe], a team with years ahead of them. The World Cup is just around the corner.’

Mourinho also revealed that Turkey were the biggest surprise at the tournament.

New Fenerbahce boss Mourinho revealed that Turkey were his biggest surprise at Euro 2024

Turkey finished second in Group F and were level on points with Portugal, who finished above them due to their superior head-to-head record.

Vincenzo Montella’s side then beat Austria 2-1 in the round of 16 before suffering an agonising 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.

Mourinho was keeping a close eye on Turkey after his recent appointment by Fenerbahce.

Mourinho told Sport TV: ‘I watched [Turkey] with reason and from a professional perspective. Every time Turkey won it was a problem for me, and every time Portugal won it was a joy.’

The first official game for Mourinho as Fenerbahce boss will be away to Lugano in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round on July 23.