The 18-year-old midfielder says the Brazilian forward helped him understand that first-team training would not be softened simply because he was a young academy player.
Ibragimov, who captained Manchester United in their UEFA Youth League match against Atlético Madrid, discussed the experience on the club’s Inside Carrington podcast. He singled out Cunha as a senior player who had helped him adapt to the intensity of training with the first team.
“Bruno [Fernandes] was really helpful, but recently, me and Cunha had a really good connection,” Ibragimov said.
“He helped me a lot because, coming to train with the first team, they are aggressive with you. It's like, because we're young, that doesn't mean they have to let us off, which I think is really good.”
The teenager said the senior players challenged him from the moment he joined the sessions. Rather than treating his age as a reason to ease off, they expected him to cope with the same physical demands as everyone else.
“As soon as I came in, it was straight into tackles, like they don't care how old you are, which, again, I think is really good.”
One incident in particular helped the message sink in. After being caught by a challenge during training, Ibragimov went to ground and expected the foul to be recognised. But, as he explained, the coaches generally encourage players to get on with the game rather than stop for every contact.
Cunha then made his expectations clear.
“And then Cunha said to me, as soon as I got fouled, 'next time, I do not want to hear you at all. I want you to get up and carry on'.”
Ibragimov took the advice literally. The next time he was fouled, he got straight back to his feet, and the ball came back to him almost immediately. He went on to score, giving Cunha the opportunity to underline the point.
“And then I scored! He said 'see, this is exactly what I mean'.”
The exchange helped build a connection between the pair, with Ibragimov saying Cunha continued to speak with him and explain what was required.
“Then, after that, he was just like talking to me and saying 'as long as you listen and as long as you [learn]'. He said 'if I didn't like you, I wouldn't have helped you'.”
The young Russian international described Cunha as “a really good guy” and said he had benefited from the forward’s willingness to offer direct advice.
The lesson was not simply about enduring contact. It was about reacting quickly, staying focused and understanding that senior football demands resilience as well as technical ability. For Ibragimov, learning to respond in that way is part of the transition from academy prospect to a player capable of competing at Manchester United’s highest level.