Mazraoui highlights one habit Man United must adopt before the new season

Noussair Mazraoui stressed that Manchester United need to approach every game with a winning mentality, after the Red Devils edged past Leeds United in a penalty shootout to claim the 2026 Sport Boyle Cup.

Manchester United continued to have another positive result in their pre-season preparations. After a 1-1 draw with Leeds United in 90 minutes, Michael Carrick's team won on penalties, thereby ending the match with the Sport Boyle Cup.

The person who took the decisive penalty for MU was Noussair Mazraoui. However, when asked about this moment after the match, the Moroccan defender did not focus too much on his personal achievement but immediately emphasized the mentality the whole team needs to maintain.

“It’s great to score the decisive penalty, but even in friendly matches, the goal is always to win.”, Mazraoui shared with MUTV.

According to the Moroccan player, what MU wants to build during the pre-season is not just about fitness or tactical execution. For the Red Devils, entering every match with the aim of winning is also a way to build confidence before the real challenges begin.

“I think the best way to prepare for the whole season is to enter every match with the aim of winning. Even here, you can feel the rivalry of the match. The atmosphere was fantastic.”, Mazraoui shared.

The Sport Boyle Cup is certainly not comparable to official trophies, but the feeling of victory still carries certain value in the preparation process. Especially for a team that wants to take another step after finishing third in the Premier League last season and returning to the Champions League.

Mazraoui himself only returned to training with the team last week after his journey with Morocco at the World Cup. He got his first minutes in the pre-season in the 1-1 draw with PSG, before playing another 30 minutes against Leeds. Although he hasn't played much, the 28-year-old defender insists that his current fitness is not a problem and he is ready to fight for the new season.

Notably, Mazraoui's message about the winning mentality appeared shortly after Leny Yoro made an ambitious statement about winning the Premier League title.

Yoro's statement clearly sets a very big goal. From third place last season to the Premier League title is still a long journey, especially when MU will have to return to the Champions League rhythm and compete on multiple fronts.

But if the Red Devils truly want to turn that ambition into reality, what Mazraoui mentioned is perhaps one of the important foundations: entering every match with the aim of winning, maintaining confidence, and gradually turning the feeling of victory into a habit.