It’s been half a decade since Jose Mourinho criticized four Manchester United players, expressing his dissatisfaction with their “character” and “personality.” Surprisingly, three of those players – Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford – are still part of the team.
In November 2018, during a challenging period for United, Mourinho, in an interview with Univision, pointed out the lack of maturity in these players, emphasizing the need for personal growth and toughness.
Mourinho highlighted the societal changes affecting today’s youth and players, describing them as more “spoilt” and slower to mature. Specifically mentioning Luke Shaw’s lack of competitive spirit when he arrived, Mourinho noted that players like Shaw, Martial, Jesse Lingard, and Rashford had great potential but lacked certain essential qualities, including character and natural aggression.
A month after this interview, Mourinho was dismissed from his managerial position at Old Trafford after a defeat to Liverpool. Shaw, Rashford, and Martial continue to be part of the United squad, while Lingard is a free agent since his release by Nottingham Forest.
Mourinho, now seeking a new project after leaving AS Roma, is reportedly considering a return to Old Trafford, feeling he has “unfinished business” with the club under the new regime led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, who have taken over football operations with a 25% investment.