Russia has been a burial ground for French excursions. Napoleon and France’s supremacy in Europe took a major hit with that attempt in 1812. About two centuries later, a young France squad managed to do what their infamous military general couldn’t – triumph in Russia.
Russia has been a burial ground for French excursions. Napoleon and France’s supremacy in Europe took a major hit with that attempt in 1812. About two centuries later, a young France squad managed to do what their infamous military general couldn’t – triumph in Russia.
A squad managed by ‘water carrier’ Didier Deschamps and with what feels like a bottomless of pit of young talent romped home in Moscow, to mirror the achievement of Zidane’s multi-cultural squad in 1998.
France didn’t need any extra-time to see Croatia home, playing some of the most dazzling football seen at this tournament. Croatia might have forced every other opponent at the World Cup into extra-time, but France aren’t any other opponent.
These sons of immigrants from across the globe are the inheritors of a rich footballing legacy, matched only by their supreme talent. They are confident enough to beat any opponent, yet chilled out enough to give a high-five to protestors.
And for Paul Pogba it was the perfect night capped with a goal, the culmination of a tournament where he showed his numerous critics that he’s not just flash. He started the World Cup with calls for him to be dropped and ended it by dabbing with the trophy.
Pictures of him dabbing – a signature celebration co-opted from American hip hop artists – with the World Cup trophy are certainly set to become ingrained in public consciousness for days to come.
After leading his nation to glory, he celebrated the only way he knows, with joyous abandon. Even the Centrist Macron – looking for some street cred – was overwhelmed by the joie di vivre, even though he looked kind of awkward while attempting it, like the token white guy trying to fit into the hood.
Pogba even had a word for the his most vehement critics, the English press, lightly mocking their ‘It’s coming home’ chant with the World Cup trophy.
Critics’ lightning road
Pogba, despite his numerous achievements at the tender age of 25, has been the victim of some of the choicest abuses from football pundits.
Some of it has bordered on dog-whistle racism, lashing out at the player for everything – from his social media antics, his religion, his hairstyle and even his goal celebrations. The leit motif is visible to all - black man, know your place. Don't act so brash.
Critics behave like a young talented youngster was committing unpardonable sins just by having a little fun, which in no way was detrimental to his game.
The lightning rod of criticism flies against what he has already achieved in the game. At the tender age of 25, he has won the World Cup and helped France reach a Euro final as well. He has made the FIFA World XI team, won the Golden Boy award at the last World Cup. At club level, he has 4 Serie A titles, 2 Copa Italia and one Europa League.
In fact, such is his dominance for France, that the Les Bleus have never lost a match when he and Kante have started together.
At this World Cup, Pogba arrived with a cloud of uncertainty, after being dropped by Jose Mourinho for some games, who instead preferred Scott McTominay.
There were even calls for him to be dropped, most vocally by former Liverpool player and pundit Graeme Souness who seems to think a special place in hell ought to be reserved for the talented Frenchman.
However, Didier Deschamps, seemed to have solved Mourinho’s enigma, getting Pogba to give man-of-the-match tournaments. He has grown into the tournament, getting better and better with each passing game.
His passing has been assured, he has put in his hard yards along with Kante and Matuidi and played killer passes when the situation demanded it.
Most importantly, he has kept the ostentatious flicks and tricks to a minimum, showing the maturity of a player who only pulls out the party tricks when the situation calls for it.
It showed in the final, when he turned on the style as the match was on a knife’s edge. With the scores at 2-1, and Croatia starting to come back into he game, Pogba opened up the defence with an eye-of-the-needle pass in the 59th minute to Kylan Mbappe from deep inside his half.
Having played the ball, Pogba displayed great engine to rejoin the attack and shoot at goal when Griezmann laid it on to him. His first shot was blocked but the follow-up with a weaker left foot was just as sublime and left Daniel Subasic rooted to the spot.
All-in-all, it was a perfect masterclass, Pogba outshining his fellow midfielder Luka Modric who tried hard but was unable to match France’s class across the field.
Pogba Stats – World Cup vs Man Utd
His stats during the World Cup, when compared to his Manchester United stats in the season shows a more assured player who knows his role.
On an average per 90 minutes during the World Cup, he has made 1.5 key open-play passes, pulled off 1.33 dribbles, 0.5 through balls, made 2.17 tackles, 1 interception and 3.33 aerial duels.
In comparison at Manchester United in the 2017-18 season, he made 1.29 open play-passes, 3.13 dribbles, 0.2 through balls, 1.42 tackles, .92 interceptions and 2.13 aerial duels.
The lesser attempts to dribble, more tackles, through balls, key passes all show that in France he knew his role, whereas at United he is often confused about how to play.
In some ways Pogba has been at Manchester United, like Wayne Rooney before him, the victim of his own versatility. Like Rooney, he has been forced to play all over the pitch, sometimes to his own personal detriment.
Before the World Cup, there was a raging debate over his best position – number 10 or number 6? Deschamps has shown its in the number 6 position, at the centre of the pitch where he can influence the game in both halves, with the licence to go forward when the situation calls for it.
Pogba’s heroic display is a reminder to his critics that his social media antics or hairstyles don’t really indicate that he’s not focussing on his game.
Even Graeme Souness, Pogba’s bete noire, had to admit that he was superlative at the World Cup.
He said: “My number one criticism: he's got a fast-forward gear when he's attacking and when he loses it, he's got the jog back. He doesn't sprint back as quickly as he does when he's trying to do things. I think he's been more of a team player in this competition. But when you're playing with Matuidi and the likes of Kante, you'd be embarrassed if you didn't put the same kind of shift in as them.”
Roy Keane, another football pundit who has never warmed to Pogba, often criticising his sartorial choices or dance moves conceded after seeing Pogba’s magnificent display: “I don't mind Pogba dancing now. He's entitled to have a dance now he's won the World Cup. He can do whatever the hell he wants with his hair.”
Pogba, a World Cup winner, obviously will be thrilled to get a stamp of approval from a footballer who let his own country down and went home before during the 2002 World Cup.
In fact, Manchester United fans must be fuming with rumours that Pogba has been ‘offered’ to Barcelona by his agent Mino Raiola. Pogba’s after all the first Manchester United player to score in a World Cup final, and the first one to pick up the gong since Sir Bobby Charlton’s class of 1966.
Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United player and France international, had perhaps the best reaction: “Respect him! Respect! Why are you always talking [expletive] about my brother? Why do you always talk [expletive] about him? Respect him! Oh my goodness, I can’t wait, Paul. I can’t wait for you to come back to England with the trophy. I swear, I will do the same hair. Respect my brother! Respect him! You crazy or what! Respect! Oh my god, I’m dying.”
Even Paul Pogba had a word for his critics, thanking them for driving him on.
"It’s just unbelievable, magnificent, wonderful, a dream come true," Pogba said. "People criticise and talk bad about us at the start of the World Cup but today we won, and now I want to hear them, because they’re going to celebrate with us, and it’s fine, we invite them to celebrate with us. We like when people do not believe with us and we showed them they have to believe in us.
"The only answer we can have is always on the pitch, the criticism is always going to be there, it’s the job of the journalist, they have to do it, but I don’t think it’s bad, I think it’s a challenge, for me to improve and get better and better, to win trophies and we did today so I’m very happy, the most important thing is that I won the World Cup and be in history forever."
Napoleon might have lost his reputation when he tried to conquer Russia but Pogba has cemented it here. It's about time the footballing world learns to respect Paul Pogba. He has certainly earned it. And lest we forget, he's just 25. It's not the end, it's just the beginning.
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 "Paul Pogba dabbing with the World Cup trophy")
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