When Marouane Fellaini decided to hang up his football boots last month, he received a heartfelt message from his former coach, Jose Mourinho, on social media.
Fellaini who played under Mourinho’s management at Manchester United from 2016 to 2019, spoke about the significance of Mourinho’s words in a recent interview.
“I never met him before [then]. I played against [his teams]. But to meet him, never,” Fellaini recalled.
“But I remember he sent me a message in the summer to say to me: ‘You go nowhere, you know? I count on you.’ So, first of all, this is a big boost.”
Fellaini shared how Mourinho’s trust in him from the beginning of their working relationship motivated him to give his best.
“Directly, Mourinho gave me his trust, and I had to give him back with everything I can,” he said. “I had good training with him, I never had a problem with him.”
Reflecting on his time at United under Mourinho, Fellaini highlighted the 2016/17 season as particularly memorable.
“We won the League Cup, we won the Community Shield, we won the Europa League,” he reminisced.
We won the League Cup, the Community Shield, the Europa League,” he reminisced. “It was an amazing season for me.”
