Euro 2016: Paul Pogba can raise the roof against Portugal and really come of age
Bryan Robson says final will provide window into what £100m midfielder will do if he goes back to Manchester United
PAUL POGBA will lead France to victory on Sunday. Of that I have very little doubt.
At the same time I expect him to provide a cameo of great things to come once he returns to my old club.
Sure, the money Manchester United are going to have to pay to get him back to Old Trafford is mind-boggling.
And I speak as someone who, back in 1981, arrived at United from West Brom in what was a British record transfer.
People were raising their eyebrows then when I cost £1.5million.
Now we are talking a world-record £100m for a player who left and joined Juventus for nothing four years ago after falling out with Alex Ferguson.
Yet you can hardly put a price on the lad’s class and quality.
While Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani — two more ex-United stars, of course — offer a huge threat to France, I see the final as the moment Pogba truly comes of age.
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Already the 23-year-old has a presence on the pitch, he carries with him that certain something. It is an extra edge, a special addition to the DNA that makes a very talented player a great one.
Pogba is box to box. He has fantastic energy.
As we saw in the 2-0 semi-final win over the Germans, he has amazing ability with the ball.
The way he teased space for himself to deliver the pass for Antoine Griezmann’s second goal was the Beautiful Game as it is meant to be played.
In Pogba, Griezmann and Olivier Giroud — who is a much better centre-forward than he is given credit for — France have three musketeers who will provide victory.
They also have home advantage. They have momentum and that win over the world champs to inspire them.
Of course I’m gutted England are not in tonight’s final. I was convinced we had the talent to make the last four, at least.
But France, should I be proved correct, will be worthy winners.
And in Pogba — the player expected to show up at Old Trafford any time soon — they have the best young midfielder in world football.
MY PREDICTION: France 3-1