Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has revealed he seriously considered taking the England job after leaving Chelsea in September 2007, coming within "hours" of doing so before electing to stay in club football.

"When I left Chelsea, the first month was fantastic. I went to Africa, to Japan, I did tons of things I had not been able to do" while leading the English side to its first league title in half a century and then repeating the dose before falling out with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.