Paul Pogba has revealed his admiration for former Manchester United academy star Ravel Morrison, describing him as the most talented player of their generation and even comparing him to Neymar. Pogba, who shared a youth team with Morrison during his early days at Old Trafford, reminisced about their time together, saying Morrison’s talent was at a level comparable to Neymar’s during his rise at Brazilian club Santos.
In an interview with the *Daily Mail*, Pogba, who has enjoyed a successful career with Manchester United, Juventus, and the French national team, said Morrison was an extraordinary talent who stood out even among elite young players. “Let me tell you, Ravel is the best player of my generation that I have seen. No doubt. I saw stuff Neymar was doing at Santos – Ravel was doing that,” Pogba said, reflecting on their time together.
Morrison, once tipped to become United’s next big star, played alongside Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and other future professionals in the club’s 2011 FA Youth Cup-winning team. However, despite his early promise, Morrison’s career took a different path, and he left Manchester United in 2012 after making just three senior appearances.
Pogba also shared an anecdote about a near fight the two almost had during a training session, highlighting Morrison’s competitive nature. “We were training, and I played tough, taking the ball from him. Rav was making a fool of everyone with his dribbling because he was so good, so I took the ball off him strongly. Then he kicked me, and we started arguing. We were head-to-head, and I said, ‘Let’s go to the changing room, I’m ready.’ But instead of a fight, he just came over and shook my hand,” Pogba recalled.
Since then, the two have remained close friends, with Morrison even reaching out to support Pogba during his recent doping ban reduction. “He was one of the guys who sent me a message when he saw the news. Rav was the biggest talent of our generation,” Pogba added.
While Morrison’s career didn’t reach the heights many had predicted, Pogba expressed hope that his former teammate has learned from his journey and reflected on the responsibility that comes with great talent.