Paul Pogba has told ESPN that Michael Carrick gave fresh “energy” to the Manchester United players this season, but warned the team is going to have to “prove themselves” in the Champions League next term.
Pogba, who made his return to playing after a doping ban in November for Monaco, made more than 150 appearances for United across two spells at the club.
His time overlapped with the end of Carrick’s illustrious career as a player at Old Trafford, with the now United manager coaching Pogba during the end of his time with the team.
Carrick took over at United in January following Ruben Amorim’s exit and instigated a turnaround in form and results that saw United finish third in the Premier League. He was subsequently given the job on a permanent basis.
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Asked about United’s season under his former colleague, Pogba told ESPN in an exclusive interview: “It was good. I think it was very good for him and for the players. They had like another air, they felt another energy and that was good for them — it’s all they needed.
“I guess next year they’re back in the Champions League — it’s going to be a good challenge for them and they’re going to have to prove themselves. But it was for sure a good season for them to get back to where Manchester United belong.”
After making his long-awaited return for Monaco in November, Pogba went on to make six appearances in Ligue 1 as he continued to struggle with injury.
The World Cup-winning midfielder, whose last France appearance came in 2022, was pivotal in helping France lift their second World Cup in 2018.
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He said that he believed France would lift the World Cup again after coming agonisingly close to defending their title in Qatar where they were beaten by Argentina in the final.
“Yeah. I think everybody sees them as favourites,” he said. “They have to [be]. They have probably the best players in the world.
“But obviously, that is not enough to win a World Cup, and there is more pressure on them,” he continued, adding that “they have to keep the standard as high as possible.”
