Paul Pogba has sparked a new argument over Manchester United’s place in world football by claiming Bruno Fernandes is hampered by life at Old Trafford. The former Red Devils midfielder feels the Portuguese playmaker would be in the running for the Ballon d’Or if he played for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Despite being United’s most consistent performance since his arrival in 2020, Fernandes has never made it to the final podium for football’s individual title. Pogba, who played 79 games with the midfielder at Manchester United, believes the environment at Old Trafford is the only thing holding his former teammate back. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the current AS Monaco player questioned whether Fernandes could create more than he already does. He stated that if the Portuguese international had been a part of Guardiola’s winning machine in the city, the story around the 29-year-old would be very different in terms of global exposure.
Pogba was blunt in his assessment of why individual accolades often follow team success. He said: “Can Bruno Fernandes do more than he does now at United? Do you think if Bruno is in another team, he’s not in the top three [for the Ballon d’Or] player? For me, you put him at City, he’s in the [final] three for the Ballon d’Or. Bruno Fernandes, with the stats, the season, the way he plays and everything…”
The Frenchman’s comments highlight a harsh reality in modern football where the Golden Ball is almost exclusively reserved for players who dominate Europe’s elite competitions. “But when you don’t win, we don’t even think about it. It’s like that. This is life. This is football,” Pogba added.
Fernandes has registered 211 goal involvements in just 322 appearances across all competitions for United, yet his trophy cabinet only contains an FA Cup and a Carabao Cup. Pogba suggests that Fernandes should be held in the same breath as legendary figures like Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric, and Mesut Ozil.
“We talk about Kevin De Bruyne. We talk about Luka Modric, talk about Mesut Ozil,” Pogba continued. “Talk about stats, stats. He scored more than Frank Lampard in the season, as the same position, eight, 10, you know. He does more assists. He’s everywhere on the pitch. He has a volume. He keeps running. He’s smart. He can play two touches, one touch. He can shoot.”
