Pogba: There’s a star on my Les Bleus shirt but it’s not mine – this would be
PAUL POGBA inherited the star on his France shirt – now he’s desperate to warrant the second.
Les Bleus face Croatia in the World Cup Final 20 years on from edging their semi-final clash on route to a triumph on home soil.
That historic 1998 campaign earned the star on the blue jersey Pogba sports in Russia.
But the 25-year-old midfielder
insists it isn’t his. Asked about the Croats wanting revenge for their 2-1 defeat two decades ago, he said: “Croatia do not have stars – they want one.
“They have done very well and want the victory like us. But I do not have a star. It’s on the shirt but I did not win it. “We want to go looking for it like all players. It will be a
World Cup final, a great match and difficult.”
France will line up in Moscow as favourites with Croatia having endured extra time in all three of their knockout games.
However, that is not a theory Pogba is prepared to get behind.
The Manchester United man said: “We are not thinking about it. Croatia played a very tough match against England. They did not give up – they came back.
“There are two teams and one cup. They have played 90 minutes more than us. I don’t know if it’s a disadvantage for them or if they’re going to want to show they want to win even more.
“We are not favourites. We did not forget the doubts about us at the beginning of the competition,
about our ability to play together. We haven’t done anything yet.”
Luka Modric inspired Croatia to their 2-1 extra-time win over England on Wednesday.
But Pogba insists it would be foolish to consider him the only threat in a team gearing up for their first World Cup Final.
Asked if the French had a plan for the Real Madrid schemer, he said: “It’s not only Modric – there is also Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic and even the defenders. I don’t think there’ll be a plan for Modric. There will be one for everyone.”
Modric will look to become only the ninth in history to lift the World Cup and Champions League trophies in the same year.
Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic said: “He deserves the Golden Ball.”