Brazil are plotting to replace Tite with Jose Mourinho following shock World Cup exit

Brazil are plotting to bring in Jose Mourinho as their new manager and have reportedly opened talks with the Roma boss after Carlo Ancelotti snubbed the role.

The five-time World Cup winners were one of the favourites to win this year's tournament in Qatar, but Tite's side bowed out early in the quarter-finals to Croatia on penalties.

The Brazil boss then sensationally quit just two hours after the shock defeat, bringing an end to his six-year stint in charge of the national side.

It leaves a vacant role at the helm of one of the greatest footballing nations and it's believed Mourinho is seen as someone who could take charge.

President of the Brazilian FA Ednaldo Rodrigues is understood to have sent a representative to Europe with the aim of finding best foreign coaches available.

Ancelotti - who is under contract  at Real Madrid until 2024 - was seen as an option for Brazil but he does not want to leave the Spanish giants before then unless he is sacked.

And now, La Repubblica reports that Brazil have opened preliminary talks with Jorge Mendes over a move for Mourinho.

In 2017, when Mourinho was Manchester United manager, the tactician admitted managing Brazil in the future would be 'exciting'.

'I think following Manchester United I need an easier job than Manchester United, and coaching the Brazilian team should be more difficult,' he said at the time.

'Obviously it would be exciting, any coach wants to work with the best clubs and with the best. The Brazilian team is obviously a leader of success, obviously with talent, no matter what the generation, talent always appears.

'But I have to confess that it must be difficult, in every Brazilian there is a coach, in each journalist there is a better coach than the coach. I think it must be a difficult country to work for, but also a passionate one.'

There has been much speculation over the former Chelsea manager's future - with his home nation Portugal also interested in snatching him from the Italian giants following the sacking of Fernando Santos.

The latest reports in Italy indicate that Roma do not want Mourinho to leave the club - and the manager is under contract until 2024.

Last week, Corriere dello Sport reported that Mendes met with the federation's president, Fernando Soares Gomes da Silva, to discuss Mourinho's current plans.

Roma hold his attention for now but he hopes the club will not stand in the way of his desire to manage the national side by June 2023.

Mourinho will speak with Roma's owners to find a solution, with the Portuguese thought to be likely to ask to be released from his contract with the club a year early to take charge of Portugal.