“IF WE WIN THE FA CUP, I’LL BE FREE AGAIN TO EAT ALL THE BURGERS I WANT”
Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder has been enjoying his improved form since Erik ten Hag arrived at Old Trafford, even if some tempting food items have been taken off the menu...
FRED MANCHESTER UNITED
When Fred took to the Old Trafford pitch against Brentford in April, he became the first Brazilian to make 200 appearances for Manchester United.
The first thing that fact demonstrated is his resilience, because he has, at times, divided opinion among the fanbase. The ‘Mcfred’ midfield partnership with Scott Mctominay was often criticised during the Red Devils’ torrid 2021-22 season. “As we say in Brazil, I carry the piano for the artists to play,” Fred explained during that campaign. “Some fans like me, others don’t, but football is like that. You need to learn to deal with criticism.”
Things have been much better in 2022-23, Erik ten Hag’s maiden season at the helm. The signing of Fred’s Selecao team-mate, Casemiro, has freed up the former Shakhtar Donetsk man for a more progressive role, sometimes from the bench. By mid-march, he had provided five assists and bagged six goals himself – his best single-season tally since 2012, when he was a teenager with Internacional in Brazil.
One of those strikes helped to secure a Europa League victory over Barcelona, against the midfielder who almost moved to Manchester United last summer. “Fred had an important role,” Ten Hag revealed afterwards. “He had to first stop Frenkie de Jong playing like a mosquito around him, then he scored a goal. Brilliant.”
Such is the Dutch manager’s faith in Fred, a contract extension was announced as early as December, keeping the 30-year-old at Old Trafford until 2024 at least.
Fred also started at Wembley in February as Manchester United won the League Cup – the first trophy of his five-year spell at the club. But as he tells FFT, now he wants more, starting with the FA Cup on June 3…
How do you assess Manchester United’s performances and your own this season?
The club’s performance has been good, but as players we dream big and always aspire to win important trophies. We know that last season our results were far from what we wanted. This season has been much better: we won the League Cup, we’re in the FA Cup final and we’ve been fighting for the top four in the Premier League. We’re conscious that we could have gone further in the Europa League [United lost 5-2 on aggregate to Sevilla in the quarter-finals] but, all things considered, I’ve been happy with our season. I was over the moon with my first trophy at the club, which shows that our team is on the right path after years of reconstruction. In terms of my own performance, I believe I’ve played well, although I wish I’d had more minutes on the pitch. Whenever I was on the field, I think I delivered what was expected from me to help the team succeed.
You’ve already recorded your best goal tally for a single season since 2012 with Internacional, when you played as an attacking midfielder. What changed this campaign to help you score more often?
Firstly, I’ve been playing in a more advanced position than ever before during my career at Manchester United. Naturally, when you play closer to the opponent’s goal, you have more opportunities to score and provide assists. At Inter, when I was promoted to the first team
in 2012, I was the No.10 alongside Andres D’alessandro. As a No.8 at Manchester United, I have more freedom to get into the penalty box to finish. Previously I was playing as a No.6, the holding midfielder, with much less opportunity to move around the pitch.
Growing up, you watched the Red Devils win every trophy possible, but it took you five years at Old Trafford to lift your first. What did that mean to you?
You’re right: I grew up watching Manchester United as a hugely successful powerhouse – it’s still one of the world’s biggest football clubs. Sadly, we’ve not been able to win so many titles since I joined the team, but that first trophy meant a lot to me and I’ll keep pushing to win many more. I’m aware of Manchester United’s grandeur and I’m living a dream at this club. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here, because I know the heritage of this club, the historic players who wore these colours, and it means the world to me to be the Brazilian with the most appearances for Manchester United. I was the happiest man on Earth with my first trophy at the club and there’s still one more to be won this season.
Yes, about that: ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3, are you confident that Manchester United can beat one of the world’s best teams and stop Erling Haaland, the world’s best striker?
From my point of view, Manchester City play the best football in the world at the moment. Under Pep Guardiola, an outstanding coach, they’ve won loads of titles with a very clear playing style. They know how to maintain possession – it’s so tough to face them. But it’s not impossible. We lost when we played them away this season, but we beat them at home, with Haaland on the pitch. Yes, I agree that he’s the world’s best forward right now, but we’re Manchester United, and if we’re able to play our best football then I don’t see why we can’t win.
Erik ten Hag is the fourth manager you’ve worked with in five years. What’s that been like, at a club that was used to nearly 30 years of stability under Sir Alex Ferguson?
That amount of change isn’t easy for the club or for the players. As one of the world’s greatest clubs and brands, Manchester United should be back on their perch as soon as possible. I strongly believe Erik ten Hag is the right person to lead the team and we’re on the right track to success – he’s shown that he’s capable of taking the club to the next
level, and hopefully the League Cup is just the first step. The instability we’ve fought through wasn’t something that anyone at the club wanted, but it’s extremely tough to keep a club of this grandeur at the top consistently, and that’s our main collective goal for the upcoming years.
What is it about Erik ten Hag that has impressed you?
He reads the game extraordinarily well and is so wise tactically. Beyond that, he knows how to navigate behind the scenes with the squad, knowing how to help players in every detail. I can see that he’s already had a huge impact on the club and is a key element of our routine. He really cares about the quality of the food we intake as high-performance athletes. Our results show that improvement.
I believe I’ve improved a lot since he arrived. He enjoys good football and he’s trying to implement that, from the build-up onwards. One thing he underlines is the idea of making our game as intense as possible, because that’s how to succeed in the Premier League, where quality alone won’t win you matches. Perhaps that aim of having intense football stems from the Dutch football school. I enjoy it, as it fits my playing style.
You mentioned his input into nutrition – can you tell us more about that?
He cares so much about that. Every squad member is aware of what we should and shouldn’t be consuming to perform to the highest standard. It’s a crucial element of the modern game – as is quality of sleep – so we do the best we can to reap the rewards.
What’s the one food you absolutely love, but have to avoid eating during the season in order to stay in good shape?
There are so many! [Laughs] But I know now to look after myself, especially when the season comes to its final stages and we have to play a match every three days. I must eat and rest well, otherwise it will affect what I do on the pitch. I’m a huge hamburger lover, though. I go crazy for it when I can, except during the season! [Laughs] That’s one of my main pleasures during the holidays.
So, if Manchester United beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup, you’ll celebrate by eating hamburgers, right?
Absolutely. I’ll be free again to eat as many hamburgers as I want, thank God! [Laughs]
Do you see Manchester United becoming a Premier League title contender soon?
For sure. We know it won’t be easy, as some of our competitors have had their managers for a longer period of time – Manchester City are the main example of that. But if we keep doing what we’ve done this season, then with how quickly the team has improved under Ten Hag, we can fight for the title very soon. Everything is possible in football.
What has been your most cherished moment at Manchester United so far?
It’s hard to pick only one, because I’ve lived so many things in five seasons at the club. But the one that stands out most to me was reaching 200 appearances for this massive club. That was an incredible achievement and a dream come true – I’m so blessed to be able to live something like this. That day will be forever etched on my mind.
What impact has Casemiro, your Brazil team-mate, made on and off the pitch?
He became an important part of our team so quickly. Everybody knows how brilliant he is and what he’s achieved in his career, both with Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. He has strong leadership skills and we could see them on day one in our dressing room. I already knew him from the Selecao, but I’m so pleased to now have him by my side every day at club level, too. What else is there to say about a five-time Champions League winner? [Laughs] Hopefully he will stay with us for many more years to come – fingers crossed, he’ll be a decisive player in helping the team to secure multiple major honours going forward.
What’s your life like in Manchester?
Manchester is such a fantastic city. My family and I couldn’t be happier in a city. My son, Benjamin, was born here, so we have a little Englishman in our family now! Everywhere we go, people are so kind and friendly, and whenever we have some time off, we enjoy travelling to new places – the proximity to other countries allows us to do that. We’ve been to Wales, Scotland and other places in England as well.
How is your relationship with the other Brazilian players based in the North West?
It’s so beneficial to have a group of Brazilian players in the Liverpool and Manchester area. Whenever possible, we hang out and relax. I have a great friendship with Fernandinho – sadly he went back to Brazil last summer, but I’m very happy to see him getting more minutes again, at Athletico Paranaense. I’m good mates with Ederson, Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino. Sometimes we go to church together. Our wives get along well, too, so we often meet up, either for a quick coffee or for a barbecue. We always used to go over to Fernandinho’s house; now it can be at Alisson’s or Ederson’s. Regardless of the place, we like spending time together, which is important when a big part of our families is back in South America. This small Samba community that we’ve created helps us all to cope with the long distance from our loved ones in Brazil.