Jose Mourinho has hit out at Gareth Southgate over his refusal to call up Chris Smalling to England’s squad for the World Cup.
Smalling has 31 caps for England, but has not been called up for the Three Lions since Southgate dropped him in November 2017. The 32-year-old made the bold decision to leave Manchester United for Roma in 2019 and has reignited his career in Italy.
He is a regular in Mourinho’s Roma side and was named player of the match in their win over Feyenoord in the final of the Europa Conference League in May. Smalling’s form is so consistent that Mourinho and many other Serie A watchers believe the centre-back is deserving of a place in England’s squad at the Qatar World Cup next month.
"He was taught to play in a two-man defence in Manchester, but now he’s got the perfect acumen to play in a three-man backline,” Mourinho said. "If I were the coach of a national team, I would do anything to have someone like him at my disposal.
"I don’t think it’s a lack of respect to Gareth Southgate when I say that I feel very sorry for a player who’s playing at such a high level like Smalling and who won’t get the opportunity he deserves."
Mourinho’s comments hint at what Southgate said when dropping Smalling in favour of Eric Dier, John Stones and Harry Maguire nearly five years ago. Smalling was still playing for Manchester United back then, but his style of play was not deemed suitable for the national team.
"I have huge respect for Chris. He is a player playing at a big club,” Southgate said at the time. "We want to play in a certain way and the players I have brought in I want to see using the ball from the back and building it up in a certain way."
Southgate did later apologise to Smalling for the way he worded his reasoning, but the defender still missed out on selection for the 2018 World Cup and European Championship last year.
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"I think I said I probably regretted the way the message [came over] – by praising others for certain attributes, there was criticism for Chris,” Southgate said in 2020. "It was my fault and it was unfair on him. I think he’s done well in Italy. He’s playing at another big club."
Maguire, Stones and Dier started England’s last game – a 3-3 draw with Germany at Wembley and look favourites for the first World Cup match against Iran on November 21. Manchester City ’s Kyle Walker has regularly also been used on the right of a back three.
Crystal Palace ’s Marc Guehi and Everton ’s Conor Coady were the substitutes that day, while Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings and AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori have recently made England squads ahead of Smalling.
