- Former Manchester United star praises Bruno Fernandes
- What happened to Jesse Lingard?
- Fernandes player of the year contender
Former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard has heaped praise on Bruno Fernandes, insisting not only should he claim the Premier League Player of the Season award, but also emerge as a genuine contender for the Ballon d’Or.
Across 11 seasons at United—seven as a fully integrated first-team player—Lingard featured 232 times, scoring 35 goals and registering 21 assists.
In his penultimate campaign at the club, Lingard departed on loan to West Ham United, where he electrified supporters, scoring nine goals in just 16 appearances.
The Englishman did not remain in London, however, returning for one final season at United before moving on to Nottingham Forest.
After an underwhelming spell, Lingard resurfaced at FC Seoul in Korea for two years, before completing a move on 6 March to Brazilian side Corinthians.
Bruno for the Ballon d’Or
When asked whether Fernandes merits consideration for the Ballon d’Or, Lingard responded: “100 percent, yeah.
“His performances at Man United this season have been extraordinary. He’s three [correction, two] assists off De Bruyne’s record for assists.
“So, yeah, for me, he has to be up there 100%.”
Across three seasons together, Lingard and Fernandes shared the pitch just 26 times—though Lingard spent much of the 2020/21 season at West Ham.
Across those appearances, they combined for only 539 minutes, recording 12 wins, eight draws, and six defeats.
The last time the pair featured together for United came on Saturday 23 April 2022, when Arsenal defeated United 3-1 in a match that saw Fernandes miss a penalty.
Lingard entered from the bench for Nemanja Matic in the 77th minute, before Fernandes departed moments later for Juan Mata, leaving the duo with just seven minutes on the pitch together.
They never lifted silverware side by side, with Lingard’s final honour arriving in 2017 via the Europa League, before Fernandes and his teammates ended the drought later—defeating Newcastle United 2-1 to secure the League Cup while Lingard was at Forest.
What does Fernandes need to do to win the Ballon d’Or?
Fernandes faces a significant uphill battle in the Ballon d’Or race.
The criteria for the award are as follows:
- Individual Performance (Decisive & Impressive): Focuses on skill, goal scoring, assists, and overall impact across the season.
- Team Success & Titles: Trophies secured at both club and international level during the campaign.
- Class & Fair Play: Evaluation of conduct, professionalism, and sporting integrity.
While the third criterion often carries less weight—illustrated by Simon Kjaer’s recognition in 2021—it is the second that presents the primary obstacle.
Although Manchester United have improved and look poised to secure Champions League football while finishing third, they have not come close to lifting major silverware this season.
In fact, they exited both domestic cups at the earliest possible stage.
Fernandes’ individual output has been exemplary—there is no dispute there.
What he requires now is a defining international tournament with Portugal national team at the FIFA World Cup, coupled with ultimate success.
Only three times in history has the Ballon d’Or aligned with a World Cup year and still gone to a player who underperformed at the tournament.
In 1978, Kevin Keegan claimed the award despite England failing to qualify.
In 2010, Lionel Messi secured his second Ballon d’Or despite a muted World Cup under Diego Maradona, registering one assist and no goals as Argentina exited heavily to Germany.
Finally, in 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo won his third, despite Portugal exiting at the group stage.
If Fernandes wants to enter genuine Ballon d’Or contention, he must dominate on the global stage. Winning the World Cup would transform his chances—but even without lifting the trophy, a deep run combined with elite performances could firmly place him among the frontrunners.
