Manchester United adopts the 'Beckham model' to protect Ramense! Hoping he learns from three legends, the World Cup scapegoat aims to reverse fortunes and win titles

Manchester United's first-team players have started returning to Carrington for pre-season training. On Thursday, the players assembled in front of manager Carrick and his coaching team, though only a handful are expected to feature in the starting lineup for the Premier League opener against Hull City on August 22. Only nine experienced United players have reported so far, and none of those who took part in the World Cup, including goalkeeper Senna Ramense, have returned. Ramense may need time to mend his psychological wounds.

In Belgium's 1-2 defeat to Spain in the World Cup quarterfinal, the 24-year-old Ramense came on as a substitute for the injured Courtois, making his World Cup debut. Unfortunately, it was an unlucky match for him. He failed to hold a long-range shot just before the final whistle, allowing Merino to score the winning goal. After the match, Belgian media gave Ramense the lowest rating of 4. He became the first substitute goalkeeper to make a mistake leading to an opponent's goal since Demba Tubilandu of Congo in the 1974 match against Yugoslavia.

After joining Manchester United for £18 million, Ramense went through an initial adaptation period and then replaced Altay Bayındır as United's No. 1 goalkeeper, enjoying a long stretch without any errors. However, from the end of last season to now, Ramense has made two mistakes that led to goals, and United are concerned this could affect his confidence.

In Manchester United's match against Liverpool in May, Ramense's poor pass gave Gakpo a scoring opportunity. Although he returned to normal in the following three games, the critical error during the World Cup knockout stage is bound to be a bigger blow. After all, United still won 3-2 against Liverpool, but Belgium's World Cup exit due to Ramense's mistake will inevitably invite greater scrutiny.

Currently, Ramense will take three weeks off to reset his mindset and will report back to Carrington in early August to begin pre-season training. United hope he will have overcome his mental demons by then. Goalkeepers inevitably make mistakes in their careers, but Ramense's two errors occurred on the biggest stages.

Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who once played for United, believes Belgium's decision to bring on Ramense was a mistake. "I think the head coach is responsible for this loss; his substitution cost the team the game," said Ibrahimovic. "Why use Ramense instead of Mike Penders? Just because Ramense plays for United and Penders plays for Strasbourg? That's clearly not the standard way to select a national team goalkeeper, and the result proved it."

However, Ibrahimovic's view is somewhat unusual, as the 20-year-old Penders has less experience at both club and international level than Ramense. Penders has only played 114 professional matches and has never appeared for the national team, while Ramense has played 127 games and earned three caps.

But since Ramense made the mistake, criticism is inevitable. Ibrahimovic went on: "Ramense is not a good goalkeeper at this level; his ability is overrated. Penders is much stronger, and everyone can see that. It's a shame they handled the situation so poorly. The Belgian national team coach and goalkeeper coach should be embarrassed."

Manchester United are well aware of this situation and will implement a special program to protect and support Ramense. According to the British Sun, United teammates will reach out to encourage Ramense in the coming days. Captain Bruno Fernandes, vice-captain Harry Maguire, and 40-year-old veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who are key leaders in the dressing room, are all ready to lend a hand.

When pre-season training begins in three weeks, Ramense will have a strong club support system behind him. Ramense was steady last season, earning the Premier League Best Signing award, but his top-level experience is still limited—he had only played 64 Belgian top-flight matches before joining United. So how he handles major mistakes remains to be seen.

Fortunately, United have plenty of experience dealing with World Cup 'villains'. In 1998, David Beckham was sent off in England's penalty shootout loss to Argentina, becoming a national enemy upon his return and facing fierce boos at every away game. But Sir Alex Ferguson and United protected Beckham, and he helped the Red Devils become treble winners, silencing the critics.

At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were involved in a controversy when Portugal eliminated England. Ronaldo alerted the referee to Rooney's stamp, leading to a red card, and was branded a "double traitor" by the English media, even considering leaving United. Ferguson and United again successfully defused the crisis, and Ronaldo and Rooney played in harmony the following season, helping United reclaim the Premier League title.

Ramense's mistake is not as significant, as his game did not involve England, so the British media will not make a huge fuss. Meanwhile, he may exchange experiences with United captain Bruno Fernandes, who has also faced criticism with the Portuguese national team and even stopped updating his social media.

Besides the psychological scars of Ramense and Fernandes, United also need to manage the physical injuries of other players. Dutch center-back Matthijs de Ligt is still recovering from back surgery and was unable to join the summer training camp that started on Thursday. However, striker Benjamin Šeško has fully recovered and can participate in training, preparing for the Premier League season starting at the end of next month.