Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial once left manager Jose Mourinho furious when he abandoned the club's pre-season tour of the United States in 2018 to witness the birth of his second child. Mourinho expected Martial to return promptly, but the Frenchman extended his stay in France, leading to a £180,000 fine—equivalent to two weeks' wages—and public scrutiny.
Missed Matches and Manager's Frustration
Martial missed a 4-1 friendly defeat to Liverpool in Chicago but was anticipated to rejoin for games against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Instead, he remained with his partner during her recovery. Speaking to MUTV after the Liverpool loss, Mourinho expressed his disappointment: “He has the baby and after the baby is born—beautiful baby, full of health, thank god. He should be here and he is not here. Now we have Real Madrid and after that we have Bayern Munich and that is our start.” He added, “I just hope the boys on deserved holidays, they take care of themselves a little bit and somebody wants to do what [Marcus] Rashford and [Phil] Jones do, which is to be back a little bit earlier to try and help the team because for the beginning of the season we are going to be in trouble.”
Martial's Response and Family First
Martial soon responded, doubling down on his actions. He wrote, “Thanks for all your posts. My little girl is fine, for the mum it was harder but thank god she is better now. Sorry but my family will always come first. Back tomorrow in Manchester.” This public statement highlighted his prioritisation of family over club obligations.
Long-Standing Tensions Over Jersey Number
The birth leave incident was not the only point of contention between the pair. Martial later revealed that their issues began when Mourinho first arrived in 2016. The manager took Martial's preferred No. 9 jersey and gave it to new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Martial told France Football in 2022: “It started with the story of the number. During the holidays, he sends me a message to ask me if I want to take 11, explaining to me that it's great, because it's legend Ryan [Giggs' number]. I tell him that I have the greatest respect for Giggs, but that I prefer to keep my number nine. 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.”
Aftermath and Current Status
Martial eventually left Manchester United on a free transfer in 2024 and now plays for Monterrey in Mexico. As new United manager Michael Carrick prepares for his first pre-season, he will hope to avoid similar conflicts. The club's European tour this summer may help mitigate such issues.
