France and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has said that he is the most criticised player in world football following his match winning goal in France’s 2-1 win over Australia on Saturday.
Pogba has his share of critics with Graeme Sounness and Mark Lawrenson often quick to highlight his deficiencies as a player but the 25-year-old says that he treats the criticism he receives like he did when he was a child playing football with his friends in Paris.
“It seems I have less right than others to make mistakes,” he told Telefoot.
“It’s funny. I went from the biggest transfer in the world, to the most criticised player in the world. The critics will always be there. That’s football.
“When I was little with my friends, we always used to take the piss out of each other, saying ‘you were good, you were bad.’ It’s what happens on every football pitch and I treat the criticism now like I did when I was playing on the block as a kid.
“I’m out there having fun – and that’s the only answer I can give to all those people who criticise me or think I am this or that. It’s not a big deal. Everybody has opinions.”
Former Manchester United teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic noted that a lot of the attention that Pogba receives stems from jealousy but that he always delivers at big tournaments.
“Pogba is controversial, the media always talks about him and I think this is out of jealousy,” Ibrahimovic told BeIN Sports.
“He has a big salary and always plays at the big matches and tournaments.”
He continued: “He is the best midfielder in the world and because of that he has a lot of haters.”
