Everyone's raving about Pogba's performance!
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba produced another eye-catching Euro 2020 display for France, on a night of frantic drama in Group F.
Already confirmed as being through to the last 16, Pogba's national team were spared the panic experienced by Portugal or Germany at the prospect of early elimination, or the ultimate heartbreak felt by Hungary, who were eventually consigned to bottom spot by Leon Goretzka’s late goal for the hosts in Munich.
A 2-2 draw with the European Championship holders in Budapest was enough for France to finish top of the pool and, although Karim Benzema scored both goals for Les Bleus to end a six-year international drought and claim UEFA’s Star of the Match, Pogba stole the headlines with a superb midfield showing.
Sitting in a deeper midfield role, our no.6 was allowed to dictate the play, with the clear highlight being his incredible through ball into Portugal’s left channel, which Benzema latched on to for his second strike.
It counts for Karim Benzema!
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 23, 2021
Watch and listen on the BBChttps://t.co/6c4ifcB76Q#PORFRA #Euro2020 #bbceuro2020 pic.twitter.com/6W3Bg6Cevl
Pogba has scored at each of his three major tournament appearances prior to this one, and he almost stretched that to four, only for a combination of Portugal 'keeper Rui Patricio and the woodwork to deny him what would have been a wonderful winning goal.
After the game, plenty of pundits and fans were rushing to praise the United man…
Alan Shearer, BBC Sport: “What a pass from Pogba. The weight of pass, the run. Everything about it was perfection. [Ruben] Dias is really slow on the turn but that is an excellent finish from Benzema.”
Andros Townsend, ITV Sport: “For me, having watched the group stages, Pogba is the player of the tournament. Some of his passes and touches... his pass to Mbappe was one of the best I've ever seen. The back-four is compact but somehow he squeezes the ball around to Mbappe.”
Julien Laurens, ESPN: “Pogba was superb once again, establishing himself even more as the leader of this team with another impressive performance. He and N'Golo Kante are still unbeaten when they start together for France. It's been 29 games now and still no one has managed to better them.”
🇫🇷 Paul Pogba. World class.#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/V6BDtiyZ2M
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 23, 2021
Reshmika, @reshmufc: “Pogba has been wonderful in the tournament so far and I absolutely love to see it.”
With that showing fresh in the back of the mind, we can’t wait to see what Pogba and France come up with next. The world champions will play Switzerland in the round of 16, at Bucharest’s Arena Nationala on Monday 28 June.