TThe debate over football’s individual awards has been reignited following Paul Pogba’s comments. The French midfielder, who currently plays for Monaco, cited the example of Bruno Fernandes and argued that the status of each player’s team influences the award’s evaluation.
Pogba, who played alongside the Portuguese in 79 games, says Fernandes’ chances of competing for the Ballon d’Or would be much better if he played for Manchester City instead of Manchester United.
Pogba thinks Fernandes should move to another team
During an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast (via GOAL), the 33-year-old wondered whether Fernandes could contribute more, and in response to the question, Pogba claimed that the 31-year-old Portuguese player would have a better chance of competing for the Ballon d’Or and further improve his global standing if he played under Josep Guardiola, who is known for his titles and fame.
Can Bruno Fernandes contribute more to United? If he had played for another team, do you think he wouldn’t have been in the top three for the Ballon d’Or? If he had been at City, he would have been a finalist. Given his stats and play, he deserves it. But if you don’t win, no one will consider you. That’s life, that’s soccer.
Despite his consistent form and impressive numbers, contributing 211 goals in just 322 games, the Red Devils captain has not been able to translate his performances into major individual accolades. Part of the reason for this is that the club has no major titles and has only won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup once.
Despite this, he was named Premier League Player of the Month in March 2026, joining Cristiano Ronaldo in winning the award six times, and with eight goals and 18 assists in the league this season, he is just two shy of Henry and De Bruyne’s all-time record (20).
In this regard, Pogba compared Fernandes to De Bruyne, Luka Modric and Mesut Gil, saying: “Let’s talk about statistics: he has scored more goals in a season than Frank Lampard from the same position. 8 or 10 goals. He provides more assists, is everywhere, has a high work rate, never stops running, is intelligent and knows how to take two touches, one touch and shoot, ”the French star pointed out.
Meanwhile, Bruno’s contract runs until June 2027, with an option to extend for a further year. He is currently preparing to face Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday 27th April. The Premier League match, in which United currently sit third in the standings, is scheduled to kick off at 3pm ET.
