Carrick's prediction was wrong.

Michael Carrick once believed that Anthony Martial could win the Ballon d'Or.

Carrick once predicted that Martial could reach the peak of his career.

According to Rio Ferdinand's revelation on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Carrick once told him that Martial was capable of winning the Ballon d'Or when the French striker first arrived at Old Trafford. At that time, Martial was considered one of the brightest young talents in Europe.

In a conversation with defender Diogo Dalot, Ferdinand reiterated Carrick's strong belief in Martial. Dalot also acknowledged that Martial's natural talent was undeniable.

"If he were more consistent and truly focused, he could easily become the best player in the world ," said the Portuguese defender. According to Dalot, Martial often creates extraordinary moments in training, to the point of leaving his teammates in awe.

Joining Manchester United from AS Monaco in 2015 for an initial fee of £36 million, Martial immediately scored on his debut against Liverpool, raising enormous expectations. His contract even included a clause for an additional £8-10 million bonus if he won the Ballon d'Or. But that ultimately never happened.

The career of the striker born in 1995 is a story of setbacks. The 2019/20 season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was his peak with 23 goals in 48 games. After that, injuries and inconsistent form caused his career to decline sharply. Martial left MU on a free transfer in 2024, ending a journey of 317 appearances and 90 goals.

Having won the Golden Boy award but never been nominated for the Ballon d'Or, Martial is now playing for AEK Athens and Monterrey CF. In Mexico, he has only scored one goal in 19 matches.

Carrick's prediction from years ago highlighted the stark gap between potential and peak performance. There, it's not talent, but perseverance that ultimately determines success.

What happened to the Manchester United squad that won the 1999 Champions League? Manchester United is one of the greatest teams in football history. They were also the first team to achieve the historic treble.

Source: https://znews.vn/du-doan-sai-cua-carrick-post1629574.html