Manchester United forward Anthony Martial said Jose Mourinho had disrespected him. In a recent interview with France Football, Martial said Jose Mourhino had disrespected him by not allowing him to wear the no.9 jersey during the Portuguese boss’s tenure at the club.  

He said that when Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined United during Mourhino’s first season, Martial lost the number 9 shirt to him against his wishes.

“It started with the story of the shirt number,” Martial told the news outlet. “During the holidays, he [Mourinho] sends me a message to ask me if I want to take 11, explaining to me that it’s great, because it was worn by the legend Ryan Giggs,” he added.

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“I tell him that I have the greatest respect for Giggs, but that I prefer to keep my number 9. When I return to the club, I see my jersey with the number 11. The story did not start well! He disrespected me, straight up,” the current United number 9 further said. 

When Mourhino arrived at Manchester United, Martial was three seasons into the club. He was brought into the club by Louis Van Gaal for £36 million in September 2015 as a 19-year-old prospect. In his second season at the club, he was the top scorer and the fact that he still lost his shirt to the Swede did not go down well with him.

Martial also alleged that Mourhino’s decision to drop him from the playing eleven cost him a chance to be a part of the Word Cup-winning 2018 French squad.

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“The second season [at United], I was the team’s top scorer in the first part of the season, he brought in Alexis Sanchez and I hardly played anymore. It cost me dearly. I should have been there [Word Cup]”, the 26-year-old said. 

Following the arrival of Eric Ten Hag at the club, the forward has again found a place in the first team. So far, he has played 270 matches for the club.