France head coach Didier Deschamps has advised Paul Pogba to step up with his performances ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.
The 25-year-old was recently jeered by the country’s faithful after misplacing multiple passes in a 3-1 triumph over Italy but Deschamps has stressed that Pogba remains one of the first names on his team sheet.
Despite this, the 1998 World Cup winner has urged the Frenchman to improve on his game and play to his full potential against the elite at the global tournament.
He said: “Not everything was successful, but he helped the team to be well organised. I don’t question Paul’s potential. If I called him up, it’s because he’s indispensable for me. I know what he is capable of. He has to raise his level of play. I have confidence in him, as I do in my other players.”
Pogba has endured a mixed run of fortunes since his club-record move to Old Trafford in 2006 and he has often been criticised by the supporters for his lack of consistency over a long stretch of games.
Regardless of this, the Frenchman has the potential to be a world-beater on his day but he needs to start performing like an £89m player on a regular basis or he could find himself out-of-favour under Jose Mourinho in the future.
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