Paul Pogba: Bruno Fernandes would be Ballon d’Or contender outside Man Utd
Paul Pogba believes Bruno Fernandes’ performances at Manchester United would earn far greater recognition if they came in a more successful team, arguing the Portuguese midfielder is capable of competing for the Ballon d’Or.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former United midfielder compared Fernandes’ current situation to his own spell at Old Trafford, where individual contributions were often overshadowed by inconsistent team results.
Fernandes has again been central to United’s attacking output this season, regularly contributing goals and assists and leading the side statistically. Despite that, his influence continues to be debated as the team struggles to compete for major honours.
Pogba suggested that context plays a decisive role in how players are judged.
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“I mean, I'm not comparing, but can Bruno Fernandes do more than he does now at United?
Do you think Bruno, if he's in another team, he's not in the top three Ballon d'Or players?”
The Frenchman pointed to the importance of team success in shaping individual recognition, adding:
“For me, you put him in City, he's in the Ballon d'Or three.
With the stats this season, the way he plays and everything, but when you don't win, we don't think about you. It's like that, this is football.”
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Pogba reflects on his own United spell
Pogba rejoined Manchester United in 2016 for a then-world record fee after establishing himself at Juventus, where he won four Serie A titles and reached a Champions League final. His return to England, however, brought only Europa League and League Cup success, alongside regular scrutiny over his performances.
Looking back, he questioned how much more he could realistically have delivered.
“We had a great team. Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) came, (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan also, you know, we had a really good team.
But in one team, you have 11 players… I'm sure that I should have done more, but I don't know if I could have done more.”
He suggested Fernandes may now be facing a similar dynamic, where expectations on one player outweigh the collective nature of the sport.
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‘He can do everything’
Pogba also dismissed criticism of Fernandes, praising his all-around ability and placing him among elite midfielders.
“He's not physically the same as me… but he can do everything.
Like I said, Bruno Fernandes, in other big clubs, is in the top three Ballon d'Or.”
He went on to compare Fernandes’ output and influence with players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Mesut Özil, highlighting his consistency, work rate and technical quality.
“He's everywhere on the pitch… he keeps running, he's smart, he can play one touch, two touches, he can shoot.”
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Pogba argued that criticism of Fernandes is partly driven by the broader pressure surrounding Manchester United.
“They need to find somebody (to criticise)… but football lovers will always respect Bruno Fernandes.”
While opinions on Fernandes’ style may differ, Pogba insisted that players and analysts within the game recognize his level.
Sources: Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast
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