Iker Casillas admits some people ended up resenting him after being caught up in “the Mourinho affair” at Real Madrid.
Despite being a club legend, the iconic goalkeeper saw his role at Santiago Bernabeu questioned under the Portuguese coach.
Casillas was dropped from the side in 2012-13 amid reports of cracks forming within the Madrid ranks.
Navas critics slammed by Casillas
He was even jeered by certain sections of an unforgiving fan base as his long association with the La Liga giants began to edge towards a close.
Next Match
Casillas concedes that there was plenty he could have spoken about during a testing period for him on a personal level, but believes he was right to bite his tongue and retain his dignity.
"I kept my mouth shut about what was going on for the good of the club," the 2010 World Cup winner told Marca.
"You don't want to turn things into a circus at the first sign of difficulty.
Getty Images
"In time, I understood that some people resented me for the Mourinho affair.
"Staying at Real one year after another is not easy. Mental strength is key, you have to be able to take criticism at any moment."
Maldini names world's best defenders
Casillas eventually left Madrid in 2015 after 25 years with the club.
He had made 725 appearances in that time, claiming five La Liga titles and three Champions League crowns.
The 35-year-old is now on the books at Porto, while Mourinho is back in the Premier League with Manchester United having left the Bernabeu for Chelsea in 2013.