Chris Smalling is currently without a club, but the 36-year-old former Manchester United and Roma defender is refusing to rush into a decision about his next destination, insisting he still has plenty to offer on the pitch.
Smalling spent last season as a regular starter for Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League, a run of consistent appearances he takes particular pride in given his stage of career. Now back in the north west of England with his family, he is weighing up his options while also developing projects for life after football, including an education programme for young players in partnership with the Global Institute of Sport.
Throughout a wide-ranging conversation, Smalling reflected on his enduring relationship with Jose Mourinho, who managed him twice — first at Manchester United and later at Roma. Their bond has often been viewed through the lens of a public criticism Mourinho aimed at Smalling in November 2016 over his reluctance to play through injury, but Smalling offered a different perspective.
"For United or Roma, Jose picked me for most games because we had a good relationship and he trusted me," Smalling explained. He credited Mourinho, along with Sir Alex Ferguson, with the rare ability to instil belief in senior players. "A lot of managers can give good team talks but if you look at someone eye-to-eye, see the passion and real belief that 'it's going to happen', senior players follow and the rest lock in. That's the beauty of top-class managers," he said.
Recalling the specific incident that led to the criticism, Smalling revealed he had been receiving injections for a broken toe because Mourinho had convinced him he could push through almost anything. He eventually had to stop during a warm-up having reached his limit for injections, leaving Mourinho frustrated. "It gave me even more belief because it was easy to choose another centre-back, but he wanted me," Smalling said.
The pair's paths crossed again when Mourinho took charge of Roma in 2021, with the Italian club going on to win a European trophy during Smalling's time there. Their relationship has persisted beyond the pitch — Smalling revealed Mourinho still sends him "funny memes" — and he was quick to wish his former manager well when Mourinho was appointed Real Madrid boss this summer.
Despite the closeness of that mentor-player dynamic, Smalling does not see himself following Mourinho into coaching. "I don't think it will be my route," he said, adding that his focus remains on playing while he continues to feel physically sharp.
Smalling's rise from non-league football to the top of the European game began almost by accident. While playing for Maidstone and studying towards a place at university to read financial economics, he received a late, unexpected trial with Fulham. Roy Hodgson signed him after watching just one practice match, catching the young defender by surprise.
Just months later, Hodgson again reshaped Smalling's career, informing him ahead of a Premier League trip to Blackburn in January 2010 that Fulham had accepted a bid from Manchester United and that Ferguson wanted to meet him that evening. Smalling described the meeting as reassuring despite his own doubts about breaking into a squad stacked with experienced centre-backs. "He told me I would get a chance and he believed in me," Smalling said of Ferguson.
Now with 580 club appearances, 31 England caps and major honours with both United and Roma, Smalling says his approach to fitness has evolved significantly with age, including genetic testing to fine-tune his supplement intake. As he searches for a new club, he remains adamant that turning down university all those years ago remains one of the best decisions of his life.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.