World Cup – Paul Pogba, between 2014 and 2018, a boss is born

"To receive this trophy of the best young player is a great pride. all these years of work and I feel rewarded Playing the World Cup was already a dream, winning this trophy is another, my next dream would be to be the best player in the World Cup " words that could be those of Kylian Mbappé, awarded the title of the best young player of the World Cup 2018 Sunday night, with his 4 goals scored in the competition.

Yet these are those of a certain Paul Pogba, who had received the same trophy in Brazil four years ago, at the time when he had not even dared to share a dream even higher: that of winning the competition. Four years later, Paul Pogba is still a young player, who celebrated his 25th birthday on March 15th. But a young player holding a World Champion title, with a goal scored left foot in the final. Worse, he could have claimed the title of best player in the competition, along with some of his teammates elsewhere, if Luka Modric had not set the bar too high.

More than an evolution, a progression

"I am ready to give everything for the Equipe de France To be a leader, why not … After, I do not think that you can say it, it comes automatically, of course, we want to win it, so if I have to boost everyone, I'll do it " Paul Pogba told a press conference before facing Denmark, still unaware what was waiting for him nearly three weeks later

1 – Paul Pogba is the French player who tried (104) and managed (78) the most pbades in the last 30 meters at this World Cup. Metronome. pic.twitter.com/HU61XJsbvd

– OptaJean ⭐⭐ (@OptaJean) July 16, 2018

But, finally, being a leader, what is it? Being the French player who tried (104) and managed (78) the most pbades in Russia looks like, for example. As well as being the midfielder having won the most duels in this 2018 World Cup (58). Finally, having posted a conquering face for almost a month, both on and off the field, leaves no room for doubt. The whimsical Paul Pogba of 2014 has disappeared, giving way to a more complete evolution of what is really "La Pioche". Now, it is almost in a shadow role that the player trained in Le Havre manages to shine, dictating the pace of a French team more solid in the midfield thanks to his ability to win the duels before guiding well the game of his thanks to fast transitions.

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58 – Paul Pogba ?? is the midfielder who has won the most duels in this 2018 World Cup (58). Dabeur. #FRACRO pic.twitter.com/JO5NH9zJbH

– OptaJean ⭐⭐ (@OptaJean) July 15, 2018

Finally, it is perhaps not a coincidence that the player who has already 60 selections in the Blues was the author of the third goal tricolor against Croatia, the one that helped deflect the meeting in favor of a team that was only too little safe with his only goal apart. Especially when it comes to football, we are used to say that the big players are those who are present in major events. That's pretty good, the Manchester United player is none other than the only French player to have scored in 3 major tournaments (World Cup 2014, Euro 2016 and World 2018) since a certain Thierry Henry (5).

In Russia, France could have seen the birth of the leader she hoped so much in the person of Paul Pogba. It just took a little longer than expected. But as indicated by the defeat in the final of the Euro against Portugal (1-0), "everything comes to those who can wait."