According to Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick once regarded a former Manchester United teammate as possessing the qualities required to win the Ballon d’Or.
Michael Carrick shared the pitch with and later managed Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or recipient who secured his first title with Manchester United in 2008.
However, Michael Carrick believed another player had the potential to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and be recognised as the world’s best, a claim disclosed by his former long-time colleague Rio Ferdinand during a recent interview with Diogo Dalot, a key defensive figure at Manchester United under Carrick, on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
The Portugal international was tasked with selecting his ultimate five-a-side lineup from former teammates, with Diogo Dalot catching Rio Ferdinand off guard by naming Anthony Martial, who netted 90 goals in 317 appearances for Manchester United.
Diogo Dalot acknowledged that although Anthony Martial sometimes struggled with consistency, he insisted Martial could have “easily” become the best player in the world had he fully applied himself.
“I’m going to say it because I’m going to combine what, obviously, he could do in games but in training,” Dalot said.
“And I played a lot against him, so it was really, really tough to play. And he was one of those that, if he had obviously a bit more consistency, sometimes he would disconnect a little bit from everything. But if he wanted, he could be the best player in the world. Easily.”
Ferdinand then replied, “You know, Carrick said to me when he first signed that Martial could win the Ballon d’Or.”
Diogo Dalot added that he “would believe that,” noting that Anthony Martial could produce moments in training where “you’d say you had to stop training” and “go inside.”
Anthony Martial signed for Manchester United from AS Monaco as a teenager in 2015 for an initial £36 million, marking his debut with a goal against Liverpool.
He played alongside Michael Carrick until the former England midfielder retired and joined Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff in 2018. Martial enjoyed his peak season in 2019/20, scoring 23 goals in 48 appearances, but later faced fitness and form issues, eventually departing Manchester United on a free transfer in 2024, despite many believing he should have left sooner.
The Frenchman’s transfer to Manchester United involved several potential add-ons totaling £21.6 million, with one bonus in particular attracting significant attention. It was widely reported that Anthony Martial’s contract contained a Ballon d’Or clause, obligating Manchester United to pay Monaco approximately £8–10 million if he fulfilled those expectations.
However, although Anthony Martial won the Golden Boy award, he never appeared on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, allowing Manchester United to avoid the payment. He transferred to AEK Athens F.C. following his time at Manchester United before joining Mexican club CF Monterrey, where he has scored only one goal in 19 appearances.