Mourinho slams Shaw again

Updated: 12 Jul 2021 14:27 BST
4 min read

Luke Shaw and Jose Mourinho, Man Utd — © ProShots

Jose Mourinho has hit out at his former Manchester United player Luke Shaw for not taking a penalty during England’s Euro 2020 final shootout defeat to Italy.

England’s hopes of ending 55 years without a trophy were heartbreakingly dashed on Sunday night at Wembley following a 1-1 draw.

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Italy emerged 3-2 winners in the penalty shootout as Marcus Rashford hit the post, while Gigi Donnarumma saved from fellow substitutes Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.

England manager Gareth Southgate has been heavily criticised for his decision to bring on Rashford and Sancho at the end of extra time just to take spot-kicks, as well as for selecting the 19-year-old Saka as the final penalty-taker.

And Mourinho, who endured a number of run-ins with Shaw during their time together at Man Utd, has hit out at the more experienced players in the England squad for not stepping forward to take a penalty.

What did Mourinho say about Shaw?

© ProShots - Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka, Euro 2021 final

"For Saka to have the destiny of a country on his shoulders, I think it is too much for a kid to have everything on his shoulders in this moment,” Mourinho said on TalkSport.

🗣 "It’s too much for Saka to have everything on his shoulders in the moment."

🗣 “Where was Sterling? Stones? Shaw?”

Jose Mourinho disagreed with the decision for Bukayo Saka to take #ENG's fifth penalty and questioned why senior players didn't step uphttps://t.co/Dn0HeqeMWW
— talkSPORT 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@talkSPORT) July 12, 2021

"But I do not know if I have to ask that question to Gareth [Southgate] or not. Because many times what happens is that players who should be there, they are not there. Players who should be there, they run away from responsibility.

"Gareth is such an honest guy and a protective coach that I do not believe he would ever say player A or player B ran away or told me they were not ready to [take a penalty].

"I do not know in this case, but I do not think it matters if you are a great penalty taker or not. In this situation, where was [Raheem] Sterling? Where was [John] Stones and where was Luke Shaw?

"And why [Jordan] Henderson or [Kyle] Walker did not stay on the pitch? In reality, it is very hard for Rashford and Sancho to come and take a penalty after one touch of the ball."

What did Southgate say about penalty controversy?

Southgate himself has clarified that it was he who decided the five penalty-takers.

"In terms of the penalties, that’s my call. It totally rests with me,” the England manager insisted.

🗣 "It’s too much for Saka to have everything on his shoulders in the moment."

🗣 “Where was Sterling? Stones? Shaw?”

Jose Mourinho disagreed with the decision for Bukayo Saka to take #ENG's fifth penalty and questioned why senior players didn't step uphttps://t.co/Dn0HeqeMWW
— talkSPORT 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@talkSPORT) July 12, 2021

"I decided on the penalty takers based on what they’ve done in training, and nobody is on their own. We won together as a team, and it’s on all of us for not being able to win the game.

"We’re hugely disappointed. The players have been an absolute credit, they’ve given everything they possibly could."

England took the lead after two minutes through Shaw, but Italy equalised on 67 minutes through Leonardo Bonucci before going on to win on penalties.