Mbeumo: I Block Out Distractions During Matches; At a Club Like Manchester United, You Must Learn to Handle Pressure

This week, Mbeumo gave an exclusive interview to Sky Sports. In the first part of the interview, he discussed his feelings about playing at Old Trafford and how he deals with pressure.

When you walk out of the players' tunnel at Old Trafford, countless children have dreamed since childhood of becoming footballers and imagined this moment. Every time you step onto the pitch, does it still feel like a dream?

Yes, every single time. This stadium is enormous and an iconic football venue. Even when the stands are empty, I can still feel a special sense of significance.

Do you still feel nervous before going onto the pitch?

I wouldn't say nervous. There is always a slight feeling inside, but it is more excitement, along with pressure.

Compared with your first appearance, were you much more nervous during your debut?

At the beginning, that was definitely the case. We were not used to playing in front of so many spectators then, so the feeling was naturally completely different.

When you walk out of the tunnel, stand in the middle of the pitch, and gather with your teammates for encouragement, how strongly do you sense your surroundings? Do you pay attention to everything around you?

To be honest, during matches I try to block out external distractions. I don't deliberately focus on what is happening around me. The pitch is so big and the noise from the stadium is deafening, so it is not easy to do. But sometimes I remind myself that the fans are always behind us, cheering us on, and that is a huge encouragement for us.

So blocking out outside noise and getting into the rhythm of the game quickly is sometimes the best approach.

Exactly.

Interestingly, this mindset also applies outside the pitch. I previously heard Maguire mention in a post-match interview: “At this club, if you lose one match, the atmosphere in public opinion seems to fall into crisis, as if everything has gone wrong.” Is this an environment you have to learn to adapt to?

Of course. The only thing fans want to see here is victory. Losing a match is certainly not the end of the world, but to some people it can feel that way. After a defeat, everyone feels disappointed, and we players feel the same. But when you join such a major club, you must learn how to deal with this kind of pressure. Manchester United is a team built with the goal of winning, and that is also what the fans expect.

So how did you learn to handle this pressure?

Through experience and strong mental qualities. I try not to pay attention to outside voices away from the pitch and just keep moving forward step by step.

After Sunday's victory, Carrick spoke about mental strength. He said what impressed him most was that the team conceded early and faced adversity, but nobody became discouraged. Everyone was thinking about how to adjust and complete a comeback. Was rebuilding this fighting spirit one of the key things he focused on after taking charge?

Yes, this is very important. He has always told us that no matter what happens on the pitch, we must keep moving forward. When we had a difficult start in the first match, our main goal was to become stronger through setbacks, compete for every second ball and aerial duel, and give our full effort in every detail. We did achieve that.

How did he make sure everyone did not lose confidence easily? Was it by leading through example and influencing the team with his attitude?

I think so. Regardless of whether we perform well or poorly on the pitch, he always maintains a positive attitude. He first points out the things we did well because there are always bright moments in a match. We focus on those positive aspects while also identifying areas that need improvement, continuing to push forward.