Manchester United and France star Paul Pogba may be a player that seems to divide opinion, but there can be little doubt that the £89 million midfielder has all the physical and technical attributes required to become a world class operator.
After a summer that saw the 25-year-old put in a series of mature displays that helped inspire France to World Cup glory, it may well be that the former Juventus man is finally ready to fulfil his day undoubted potential on a regular basis. Here are some of the best ever quotes about Pogba …
“He’s a talented player. He can shoot with both feet, pass the ball with both feet and you don’t realise how big he is. Physically he’s immense, he’s strong, he’s quick, and he’s got everything. He has got everything.” Ryan Giggs.
“La Pioche [Pogba] is like a son to me. Ferguson sent me to his house to convince him to stay. He cried, he couldn’t sleep. He knew he could become greater than [Patrick] Vieira, but he had decided. Ferguson also knew Pogba could become very strong, but he couldn’t force the issue.” Patrice Evra on Pogba’s decision to quit Man United for Juventus in 2012.
“I believe that he is a better player than I was at his age. He has a great opportunity to have an excellent career. He will be the next great midfielder of the French national team.” Patrick Vieira.
“Paul is a work of art. Not the Mona Lisa, though, but more pop. Pogba is like a painting by Basquiat. No one knows his value. Everyone likes when I say that he is worth 100, 120 or 130 million. The fact is that the market is a sport in itself.” Mino Raiola.
“Pogba is a pure diamond. He has the ability to make the very complex appear so simple. Before watching Pogba, I had only observed four people with whom I had played like that: Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero at Juventus, and Francesco Totti for Italy. There are some midfielders who define an era. This will be the age of Pogba” Alessio Tacchinardi.
“Maybe we are talking about Pogba a bit too much, but if he can keep up his current development he can become one of the best players ever,” Zinedine Zidane.
“I remember Paul Scholes kicking the living daylights out of him in every single training session, every day. But he earned our respect by never moaning, never shouting and never making a fuss. He always wanted the ball still and that kind of attitude has helped him progress.” Rio Ferdinand.
“He does things that others of his age I have never seen do; it all comes easy but he must not rest on his laurels and especially must not be convinced that everything will always be easy. I do not want temper the instinct of his game but he has to understand when the time is right to do things, in this way he will become even stronger. He must also improve the handling of his praise and criticism.’’ Didier Deschamps.
“I think everybody has an interest in Pogba, but there are things you can do and things you cannot do. I love the Eiffel Tower but I can’t have the Eiffel Tower in my garden.” Jose Mourinho, although we’re not so sure he’s still into the Eiffel Tower so much these days.
“Pogba is controversial, the media always talks about him and I think this is out of jealousy. He has a big salary and always plays at the big matches and tournaments. Indeed, Ibrahimovic played alongside Pogba at Old Trafford during his time at United, and believes that the midfielder is the finest in world football. He is the best midfielder in the world and because of that he has a lot of haters.” Zlatan.
