Rio: Pogba now has to do it for United
RIO Ferdinand has challenged Jose Mourinho to unlock the form Paul Pogba showed in helping France win the World Cup when he plays for United next season.
Les Bleus lifted the trophy after beating Croatia 4-2 in an entertaining final in Moscow yesterday.
An own goal from Mario Mandzukic was cancelled out by Ivan Perisic, but Antoine Griezmann’s controversial penalty and goals from Pogba and Kylian Mbappe put France in charge before Mandzukic pulled one back for Croatia.
And Pogba not only scored, but was influential in the second half to help guide his side to the title.
But his form for the Reds last season was mixed, and former United captain Ferdinand wants to see him produce the goods for the club.
“Pogba was immense, especially in the second half. The pressure was on and he came to the fore,” said Ferdinand.
“It’s down to Jose (Mourinho) now to unlock this Pogba we’ve seen at the World Cup.”
Mbappe became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pele in 1958, and with eight of France’s starting line-up aged under 28, former United captain Rio Ferdinand has tipped them to get even better.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for this squad now,” Ferdinand said. “Think of the players they’ve left behind. (Anthony) Martial, players like that. (Karim) Benzema didn’t get on the flight. They’ve got a deep squad and they have a team that now knows how to win.”
Croatia put in an impressive Pogba (centre) leads the French performance in the first half, but Ferdinand believes France boss Didier Deschamps deserved praise for his side’s improvement having now won the World Cup as both a player and coach.
“Croatia need credit for the way they attacked this game, especially in the first half,” said Ferdinand.
“A couple of decisions didn’t go their way and they will feel hard done by.
“But whatever Deschamps said at half-time it worked. The way they came out in the second half, they were fantastic.”
Ferdinand’s former United teammate Gary Neville felt France were deserved winners.
He said: “This felt like a middleweight fighting a heavyweight. Whatever France needed to do to win that game they were going to do it. They were just stronger.”
And Deschamps has warned his players’ lives will never be the same again after their World Cup triumph.
He said: “At the moment my players don’t really know what it is to be world champions, but I told them two things.
“That these 23 players are linked forever: they may follow different paths but they are marked together by this event.
“And that they are going to be different now. They are not the same, they are world champions.
“Maybe they will win other titles, but there is nothing above world champions.
“As coaches we lived the same victory. I was not beautiful but I also won. My personal pride is secondary though, I am happier to see the happiness of my players.
“My greatest joy is linked to theirs.”