Seven key stats from Paul Pogba's World Cup
Paul Pogba etched his name into the history books on Sunday when raising the prestigious World Cup trophy into the air, after France’s 4-2 win over Croatia at the rain-sodden Luzhniki Stadium.
The Manchester United man had scored a brilliant second-half goal for Les Bleus, capping what was clearly an impressive tournament in Russia.
Here are just a few of his standout stats and facts…
Pogba started six of France's seven World Cup matches - he was rested against Denmark - and tallied up 539 minutes of action.
Paul ran 58.2 kilometres throughout the tournament and 19.8km of that was in possession of the ball.
Our no.6 completed 245 of his 296 passes - including that wonder ball to Kylian Mbappe ahead of his goal in the final.
Pogba's goal against Croatia was the first scored from outside the box in a World Cup final since Italy’s Marco Tardelli against West Germany in 1982.
The Academy graduate also became the first United player to score in a World Cup final, and the first Premier League player since Emmanuel Petit in 1998.
Paul is now the fourth United player to win the World Cup while at Old Trafford, after Bobby Charlton, Nobby Stiles and John Connelly.
Pogba now has 10 goals in 60 France appearances, meaning he averages a goal every six games.
After lifting the World Cup on Sunday night, Paul explained why France’s historic success in Russia is the perfect response to those who had questioned his and Les Bleus’ quality.
“It’s just an unbelievable, magnificent, wonderful dream come true,” Pogba told reporters. “People criticised and talked 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.”
OVER TO YOU @PAULPOGBA
Yessssiirrrr @equipedefrance #fiersdetrebleus #heretocreate #worldcup #worldcup2018 #fracro pic.twitter.com/md3SAbLQSZ
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) July 15, 2018
MERCI à tous, Dieu est grand 🇫🇷❤ thank you everyone, God is great @equipedefrance #fiersdetrebleus #heretocreate
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) July 15, 2018
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.#WorldCup2018#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/DdoYfqC8Av
Papa et maman c’est pour vous 🙏🏾❤🇫🇷 mom and dad, it’s for you! @equipedefrance #fiersdetrebleus pic.twitter.com/Gyh9lTfuL5
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) July 15, 2018
Il manquais que ça 😜 had to dab 🤪 @equipedefrance #fiersdetrebleus #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/9oUmvexvMT
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) July 15, 2018
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