Bruno Fernandes is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the world, however, Paul Pogba believes the Portuguese is being held back by life at Old Trafford.
Fernandes arrived at Manchester United in 2020 and has been the club’s most consistent performer. Despite his impressive display, the Portuguese has continue to miss out on individual accolades, as he’s often being overlooked.
Pogba, who shared the pitch with the midfielder 79 times during their stint together in Manchester, believes the Portuguese playmaker would be in contention for the Ballon d’Or if he were playing for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
According to Pogba, the environment at Old Trafford is the only thing holding his former team-mate back.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Pogba who currently play for AS Monaco questioned whether Fernandes could possibly produce more than he already does.
aul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on April 01, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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.”
Fernandes has continue his impressive display for United this season, the Portuguese currently has eighteen assists to his name and need two assists to match the legendary single-season record of 20, currently shared by De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.
