The Chelsea boss, widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football, said he would be interested in coaching in the MLS to "give something back" to a developing football community.
But just as Mourinho has rebuffed opportunities to coach at international level, he has ruled out a switch anytime soon. Asked if he ever saw himself coaching in the MLS, Mourinho told reporters: "One day, not now, for the same reason I say 'one day, not now' for national teams.
But Mourinho admitted he was attracted by the idea of helping the MLS develop.
"I would like to contribute with something where lots of people are loving the game. We feel we have to give something. Why not try to give something back?"
"We still miss these guys Kaka, Lampard, Gerrard," said Mourinho. "But to have these guys can only help the league."
Mourinho said as the global profile of the MLS improved it had given younger players "the idea of what the MLS can be. Not just the end of their career for some but the beginning of their career for many," Mourinho said.
"I think the league is going in the right direction. Soccer can't compete to be the number one in North America. But if I compare soccer now with 2004, which is when we came here for the first time, it's much bigger.
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