BREAKING: Paul Pogba should win Ballon d'Or.

- Jose Mourinho thinks people should change their perspective on who can win the Ballon d'Or

- The Portuguese believes Paul Pogba needs minor improvements to his game to challenge for the award

Jose Mourinho says Paul Pogba needs minor improvements to compete for the Ballon d'Or alongside La Liga greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Pogba ran the show in midfield on Saturday, helping Manchester United to a 2 - 1 win over Middlesbrough as he scored the winner.

Mourinho believes Pogba can change the perception that only forwards and prolific goal-scorers can win the Ballon d'Or. 

Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho

"What has to change is people's minds, because a goalkeeper never won the Ballon d'Or and it's very rare a defender wins it — Paolo Maldini never won it," said Mourinho.

"Even for midfielder players it's not easy, because everybody goes for the goalscorer.

"Michael Owen won the golden ball because of his goals, and Cristiano and Messi score goals. They are phenomenal players, but I think until you change the concept and the vision, it's very difficult.

"But if Paul keeps improving in this way, if Manchester United keep improving and doing well in European football, then I think he can be a phenomenal player."

Messi and Ronaldo have won the last nine Ballon d'Or awards with Brazilian Kaka the only other player to win the award in 2007.

Asked if Pogba was close to being the complete player and the finished article, Mourinho said: "A player always has to improve. I think [35-year-old] Michael Carrick is still improving.

"When the moment comes when a player thinks there's nothing to improve on, or a manager thinks there's no way to improve, then it's not good.

"There's always something to improve. Even his [Pogba's] physical potential that you see, the box-to-box player, he can be even better.

Pogba rejoined Manchester United in the summer for £89million having left the club as a teenager to spend four years with Juventus.