Paul Ince Slams Manchester United’s $100M Star: English Soccer 'Is Not A FIFA' Game

Former Liverpool midfielder Paul Ince has slammed Manchester United’s new signing Jadon Sancho after the Red Devils’ elimination from the League Cup Wednesday.

Ince, who also played for Manchester United during his 21-year-old professional career, has heavily criticized Sancho, saying English soccer "is not FIFA" game and the young midfielder should have focused more on linking up with his teammates rather than his fancy footwork.

After a long chase, Manchester United finally signed Sancho at $100 million from Borussia Dortmund in the 2021 summer window. However, the English midfielder has not managed to make an instant impact, failing to score or provide an assist in as many as seven competitive appearances for the Red Devils.

Sancho failed on the right flank at Old Trafford on Wednesday as the hosts crashed out of the League Cup following their 1-0 loss to West Ham.

"I get that Sancho is still learning, he’s still young. But this is not a FIFA game, it’s not all about dribbling and dribbling and trying to beat two, three, four players or little flicks and that. Yeah, it’s nice when they come off but the likes of Sancho and Lingard, all these flicks, just play proper football. Honestly, it winds me up! If you watch players like [Ryan] Giggs, they get it and they pass, one-twos and get one-on-one… we just want to keep running with the ball, trying little flicks, little backheels," Ince told The United Stand.

Ince, who finished with 91 goals in 771 matches in his competitive career, also slammed the likes of Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.

"That’s what I saw with Martial, I saw it at times with Lingard and with Sancho and that’s where they need to learn that it’s not all about dribbling. Sometimes you can pass your way through players and get yourself in the box," added Ince, who won two Premier League titles with Manchester United between 1992 and 1994.

Meanwhile, Martial also received major criticism from former Red Devils forward Dion Dublin.

"We need to see more from Anthony Martial, we have said it many times before but he is not helping his cause. I want to see him sweating and putting the ball in the back of the net. He has not done enough since being at United, you see flashes and think it is the start then he doesn’t do anything," Dublin said in an interview.