Former Manchester United captain Chris Smalling remains friends with Mourinho after being publicly criticized by him! His explanation would make Rashford feel ashamed.

Ten years ago, former Manchester United defender Chris Smalling was publicly criticized by José Mourinho, making him appear to be another player who had a falling out with the "Special One." No one imagined that the two would still be in contact and become close friends, because the former United captain stated that a manager's criticism is a sign of appreciation.

This summer, when Mourinho was reappointed as Real Madrid's head coach, Smalling immediately grabbed his phone to congratulate the manager he had played for twice. In the eyes of some—such as former Manchester United teammates Rashford, Martial, and Pogba—he should have distanced himself from Mourinho. These players couldn't tolerate the manager's public criticism, viewing it as betrayal, humiliation, and unacceptable.

Smalling and Mourinho worked together at Manchester United from 2016 to 2018, and in 2021 Mourinho coached Roma in Serie A, where Smalling was playing. In November 2016, Mourinho publicly criticized Smalling for being unwilling to continue playing while injured. "The Special One" also openly stated that with Smalling's level, his team certainly couldn't build play from the back.

Smalling said: "Whether at Manchester United or Roma, José (Mourinho) would select me for most matches because we had a good relationship and he trusted me. Young players are easily influenced, but the exceptional thing about Sir Alex and José is that they can make even senior players share that same belief."

He added: "Many managers can give inspiring speeches, but only those who can make eye contact with players, show unwavering conviction, and make the whole team believe the goal is achievable can earn the absolute loyalty of veterans and unite all players. That is the mark of a top manager."

Regarding the details of his refusal to play through injury, Smalling said: "At that time, I kept getting injections for my injured foot to play because he instilled in me a belief that I could do anything I wanted, even if it wasn't scientifically advisable. However, I had reached the maximum number of injections and had to stop training during the warm-up. That disappointed him. But it strengthened my resolve from another perspective—he could have easily chosen another center-back, but he wanted to use me, which was a sign of his trust."

On his two collaborations with Mourinho, Smalling joked: "He just followed me! We got along very well, and he would want me to seize opportunities and perform well in important moments. In Rome, we won a trophy together. I fought alongside him; he was an important figure in my career, significant for my growth, so we still maintain a good relationship. He sends me funny memes, and there is a friendship between us."

The 36-year-old Smalling left Al-Fayha in the Saudi Professional League this summer and is currently a free agent. He is not ready to retire yet and has returned to Manchester, focusing on finding a new club. When he was playing for non-league side Maidstone United back then, he never expected to achieve what he has now.

"Football wasn't even a Plan D at first," he recalled. "I was playing for Maidstone United, and then I planned to go to university to study finance and economics. Everything was ready; I had my A-level results, and I was also considering non-league clubs near Leicester because I still wanted to play football in my spare time. When the opportunity came, it was already late summer. I knew the chances of getting it were slim, but I had to give it my all."

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson at the time watched a training session, then called Smalling into his office and offered him a contract. Smalling said: "There was less than a week left; I had no time to adapt, and I was completely in shock."

Smalling believes that turning down university to become a professional footballer was a wise decision. "Going to university was certainly the safer choice," he said. "In the first year, my income wasn't high; I played for the reserves and often traveled with the first team as the 19th man—going on trips but not making the bench, which didn't bring me higher earnings."

In January 2010, Smalling traveled with Fulham to face Blackburn Rovers; the 20-year-old didn't play, but the day before the match Hodgson told him something incredible. "There were rumors that many clubs were interested in me, but no one mentioned Manchester United," Smalling said. "Roy called me off the bus and told me Fulham had accepted Manchester United's offer, and Sir Alex would arrive at the hotel in 45 minutes."

Speaking of that meeting with Sir Alex, Smalling still remembers it vividly: "I first called my mom, then sat in my room thinking: This situation is a bit awkward, so what questions should I ask him? Actually, we stayed there for at least two hours. He was very calm and reassuring. Even I was skeptical because Manchester United had so many excellent center-backs. I was eager to grow and wondered how I would fit in. He told me I would get opportunities and that he believed in me. It was incredible to share the dressing room and the pitch with him and to have conversations with him!"

Through his own efforts, Smalling played for Manchester United for many years and even appeared in a Champions League final. "My initial contract at Manchester United was for four years. After one year I renewed, then another year later I signed another contract, and 18 months after that, another one. There was always that motivation. I never took anything for granted."

The former Manchester United captain has plans for life after retirement, but he won't follow in the footsteps of Sir Alex and Mourinho as a coach. "I don't think that's the right path for me. I'm very sure about the next stage," Smalling said. "I'm working with the Global Institute of Sports on an educational program for young athletes, which will be launched soon. I have three or four similar projects in the pipeline. Once my football career ends, I can devote more time to them, but for now all my focus is on playing, because I'm still passionate and motivated, and my physical stats are excellent."

"I know my body better than when I was 26, and it shows in my performances," Smalling continued. "I remember when I was younger, Sir Alex introduced measures like having Giggs do yoga. After turning 30, every day is precious for enjoying football and maintaining my love for the sport. The actual training time is very short. To stay in good shape and recover quickly, you have to pay attention to diet, rest, and nutrition during the off periods. Before the season, we have blood tests, and the club gives suggestions. I chose to do genetic testing, analyze various factors, and adjust my supplements accordingly."