Former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard believes Bruno Fernandes should be in the running to win the Ballon d’Or this year. Lingard also paid homage to his former teammate, praising Fernandes for always being approachable during their tenure together between 2020 and 2022.
The Red Devils have flourished under Bruno Fernandes’ leadership and Michael Carrick’s tutelage this season and are likely to return to the UEFA Champions League next season. They have impressed since Ruben Amorim’s sacking and are currently third in the Premier League standings with 58 points from 33 games.
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Fernandes has played a pivotal role in Manchester United’s return to form, garnering eight goals and 19 assists in 32 appearances across all competitions. The 31-year-old is only two assists away from equaling the most in a single Premier League season (20), which is currently held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Even though Manchester United have no competed in Europe this season and have struggled in other competitions, Lingard believes Fernandes should be up for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He told BBC Sport (via GOAL):
“His performances at Manchester United this season have been extraordinary. He has to be up there.”
He also spoke on his relationship with Fernandes, adding:
“He always wanted to see the best of me at United. He’s always been a guy that’s been there, that I can always reach out to.”
While Fernandes has had an excellent individual season, he is unlikely to win the Ballon d’Or this year. The likes of Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappe are arguably further up the pecking order, given their achievements this season.
“He’s everywhere on the pitch” – Paul Pogba claims Bruno Fernandes could be a Ballon d’Or winner if he played for Manchester United’s rivals
Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba believes Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes could have been in contention to win the Ballon d’Or if he played for Manchester City. Pogba and Fernandes played alongside each other at Old Trafford between 2020 and 2022.
Pogba hailed Fernandes for his ability on the ball and impact on the pitch. However, he admitted that the Portugal international has struggled to enter the Ballon d’Or debate due to the Red Devils’ lack of success in recent years.
The Frenchman told Rio Ferdinand (via BBC Sport):
“Bruno Fernandes, in other big clubs, is in the top three Ballon D’or. Do you think Bruno, if he’s in the other team, he’s not in the top three, a Ballon d’Or player? You put him in [Manchester] City, he’s in the Ballon d’Or.”
He added:
“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.”
He then concluded:
“When you don’t win, we don’t think about you.”
Fernandes has excelled for Manchester United over the past six years, registering 106 goals and 105 assists in 322 appearances across all competitions.
Edited by Silas Sud
