Age is only a number. Been talking about this guy after seeing his AMAZING performances for Juventus in the Serie A. Some say this World Cup was maybe too big a stage for him...but there are those guys that just have that HUSTLER in them and feel no pressure when all the eyes are looking. Paul is one of those guys, and when France NEEDED him, with Nigeria holding them...he capitalized and took France through.
As Nigeria moved the ball around, KEPT the ball, someone needed to force the issue for France. That is when Pogba drove forward, hit it out on the wing, received it and forced the invincible Enyeama to make a superb save. From that moment, you saw shades of potentially great player show. Someone that can dominated and CONTROL the game in the way that Zidane did. For that to happen, it comes with age. Pogba cannot carry the ENTIRE weight of expectation of France on his shoulders, but Deschamps can give him the confidence to DEMAND the ball and try and force the issue and really put his name and those lines in his hair all over the match.
In matches that are this tight, those moments will come and it all depends on whether or not a player will take them. Enyeama was incredible the whole match, and one slight slip, SOMEONE had to be at the right place. Pogba was the sharpest to react whilst Yobo was in no man's land. A perfectly placed header was all that was needed to finally give France a lead that they deserved against a pretty good Nigerian display.
France move on, and can take heed that they have what it takes to WIN a match that they don't dominate, as they did against Honduras and Switzerland. With Paul Pogba, Deschamps has a serious player. Matuidi is the engine but Pogba is the man who find a pass, run with the ball AND he can score...all the trademarks of the great Zizou. He won't explode in this World Cup, but the seeds can be sewn here and Brazil is the perfect place for Pogba to simply enjoy his football and not put too much pressure on himself.
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