Jose Mourinho sent Antonio Valencia a "big hug" as he congratulated the former Manchester United captain on his retirement.
Valencia announced he was hanging up his boots on Wednesday after an 18-year long career spent in his native Ecuador, La Liga, the Premier League and Mexico.
He spent half of his career at Old Trafford, racking up 339 appearances for the Red Devils after joining from Wigan Athletic for £16million in 2009.
Valencia won six major honours with United and was appointed captain by Jose Mourinho in 2018, having worn the armband for the club's Europa League final triumph the previous year.
The Portuguese has fond memories of working alongside the 35-year-old and sent him a classy message to mark his retirement.
"Antonio a pleasure to work with you and I wish you all the best," said Mourinho.
"You have been a champion and I only have good memories of my captain … 3 cups that you have raised cannot be removed. Big hug. JM."
The three cups Mourinho refers to are the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield he and Valencia won in 2017.
Though he began his career as a winger, Valencia developed into a right-back as his career progressed.
Mourinho even claimed there was "no better right-back in football" as Valencia penned a short-term contract extension in January 2017.
"I don’t see it as a reward" Mourinho said of the extension at the time. "He is simply the best right-back you can have, there is no better right-back in football.
"It isn’t a reward for him, it is a privilege for us to be able to keep such a good player and man."
Valencia left United in 2019 to return to his homeland for two seasons with LDU Quito followed by a brief spell with Mexican club Queretaro.
Sign up to the Mirror Football email here for the latest news and transfer gossip.
