{"id":604988,"date":"2026-02-21T04:15:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/604988\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T04:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:15:23","slug":"man-utd-star-claims-old-trafford-flop-could-easily-have-been-best-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/604988\/","title":{"rendered":"Man Utd star claims Old Trafford flop could &#8216;easily have been best in the world&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Diogo Dalot has suggested that Anthony Martial could&#8217;ve been the best player in the world had he wanted to reach such levels despite the Manchester United forward&#8217;s inconsistent spell at Old Trafford<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Anthony Martial scored a famous goal on his debut\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0_soccer-barclays-premier-league-manchester-united-v-liverpool-old-trafford.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Anthony Martial scored a famous goal on his debut\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Anthony Martial scored a famous goal on his debut(Image: PA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Diogo Dalot claimed that former <a aria-label=\"Manchester UnitedLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/manchester-united-fc\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Manchester United<\/a> team-mate Anthony Martial &#8220;could&#8217;ve been the best player in the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">world<\/a> if he wanted&#8221; despite his mixed spell at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Frenchman spent nine years at the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/premier-league\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Premier League<\/a> giants, signing as the most expensive teenager in history when Louis van Gaal was at the helm. He had some stellar moments, including a debut goal against <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/liverpool-fc\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Liverpool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Equally he endured lengthy periods whereby he struggled for form and goals eluded him. On only one occasion did he surpass the 20-goal barrier but Dalot, who often found himself opposing Martial in training, believes he could&#8217;ve been one of the world&#8217;s best.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He made the comments, which stunned <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/rio-ferdinand\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Rio Ferdinand<\/a>, when asked to provide his dream 5-a-side team, which featured Martial in attack alongside <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/cristiano-ronaldo\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Cristiano Ronaldo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Portuguese defender said: &#8220;It would be Chris (Ronaldo). And I\u2019m going to put one more up front. I\u2019m going to say Martial.&#8221; Ferdinand responded: &#8220;Martial? I did not expect that. I know he\u2019s got huge talent, but I didn\u2019t\u2026 why Martial?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36758040\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/sport\/football\/news\/man-utd-michael-carrick-manager-36758040\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Michael Carrick&#8217;s coaches boost his Man Utd job chances as unseen work revealed<\/a>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36757938\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/sport\/football\/news\/manutd-next-manager-carrick-future-36757938\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Michael Carrick puts pressure on Man Utd to complete massive U-turn with new comments<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">MAKE THE MIRROR YOUR FIRST CHOICE!<\/strong> <a aria-label=\"[object Object] Link opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=mirror.co.uk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Click here to activate<\/strong> <\/a><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Dalot then explained: &#8220;I\u2019m going to say it because I\u2019m going to combine what, obviously, he could do in games, but in training. 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He added: &#8216;&#8221;In training, he could do things that you\u2019d say you had to stop training. You know, those moments where you say\u2026 you want to blow the whistle and say, \u201cOkay, let\u2019s go inside.\u201d And I had a few. I remember Juan Mata also had those things of quality.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Diogo Dalot believes his ex-team-mate could've been among the best in the world\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0_GettyImages-1063681738.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Diogo Dalot believes his ex-team-mate could've been among the best in the world\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Diogo Dalot believes his ex-team-mate could&#8217;ve been among the best in the world<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ferdinand revealed that United&#8217;s interim boss Michael Carrick waxed lyrical about Martial when he signed. He said: &#8220;You know, Carrick said to me when he first signed that Martial could win the Ballon d\u2019Or.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Frenchman&#8217;s struggles did see him loaned out to Sevilla, where his difficulties in front of goal continued. He left United in 2024 once his deal expired and moved to <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/Greece\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Greece<\/a> with AEK Athens, but he would only last a year before moving onto join Mexican outfit Monterrey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"Join our new WhatsApp communityLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/Feq1SEG6mXDIZGTTnek7oz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Join our new WhatsApp community<\/a> and receive your daily dose of <a aria-label=\"MirrorLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Mirror<\/a> <a aria-label=\"FootballLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/sport\/football\/\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Football<\/a> content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don&#8217;t like our community, you can check out any time you like. 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