JOSE MOURINHO has revealed he was millimetres away from becoming England boss - until his wife talked him out of taking the job.

LION MASTER: Mourinho says he was close to becoming England boss before his wife talked him out of it

But the Chelsea manager has refused to rule out taking charge of the Three Lions in the future.

Mourinho was on the verge of replacing Steve McClaren in 2007 when he failed to guide England to the European Championships.

Only a last-minute U-turn after the intervention of wife Matilde prevented the Portuguese from taking over.

Asked how closed he was to taking the job Mourinho picked up a pen, held it just above a piece of paper and mimicked signing on the dotted line.

"This close," said Mourinho, speaking in his role as a Yahoo World Cup ambassador.

He added: "No, I don't regret not taking it, it was the right decision - my wife was right.

"I cannot wait two years for a big competition. I can't spend two years playing against Kazakhstan and San Marino.

"In the end, my wife was saying, 'No football, no matches - it's not for you'. And she was right.

"At that time I had no job and I had been at home for two or three months already after leaving Chelsea.

"I could not get an English club because of my contract when I left Chelsea - I could manage the national team but not a club.

"I had reasons to accept, and the main reasons were my people pushing me to take it.

"Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole were saying, 'Come, come, come, everybody from other clubs wants you to do it'.

"The guys from Manchester United and Liverpool were saying to them, 'Tell your boss to come'.

"I had lots of positive things to push me, and that's why I was so close.

"But it was not the job for me seven years ago, it's not the job for me now and I don't think it will be the job for me in seven years - maybe in 15 years from now."

MOUR OF THAT: Mourinho admits he couldn't handle time without games

Mourinho has tipped the man he tried desperately to sign last summer, Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, to shine at the World Cup despite an underwhelming build-up.

He said: "Wayne is right when he says this is his World Cup. It's the World Cup in the right moment.

"He is in the best age. It's his World Cup. He also has a role as leader in the team, a little bit similar to the role he had at United this season.

"I think he is ready to cope with this pressure.

"Maybe the fact that the season was not good in the club can also play a positive role, a role of someone that is a natural winner who normally every season wins something.

"The fact that he won nothing this season can play a positive role. His ambition and his hunger to succeed. I have faith in him that he can do it."