Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho joked when asked about potentially managing the Brazil national team one day that he will need "an easier job" when he eventually leaves Old Trafford.

Mourinho, 54, is in his first season as United boss and has already won the EFL Cup and is in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, but he has found it more difficult in the Premier League with his side currently sitting outside the top four.

Speaking with ESPN Brasil on Wednesday, Mourinho dismissed the suggestion he could go on to manage the Selecao.

"I think after Manchester United I need an easier job, and coaching the Brazilian national team would be harder," he said. "Obviously it would be great, any coach would want to work in the best teams and national teams.

"Brazil is definitely a success leader, regardless of the generation, there is always talent there. But I have to confess it must be difficult.

Jose Mourinho could win two trophies in his first season at Man United. Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images

"There is a coach inside every Brazilian. In every journalist, there is a coach better than the coach. I think it must be a country that's hard to work, but also exciting. But I recognise that the Brazilian national team is for a Brazilian coach."

Mourinho also spoke of his disdain for the European World Cup qualifying system, where many of the nations have no hope of qualifying for the finals. He believes the South American qualifying programme, which features just 10 nations, is far superior.

"The European qualifiers make me angry," he added. "The South American qualifiers excite me. I enjoy football taken seriously, not for fun.

"In the South American qualifiers, football is serious, there are a lot of good teams, on similar levels. Even those who aren't as strong as the others find some way to create difficulties.

"In Europe, the qualifiers are a joke. We qualify and who doesn't goes straight to the playoffs, where there is a brutal difference between the teams. In South America, the qualification stage is a true competition that lasts two years."