“The worst thing that happened to him” - Graeme Souness makes interesting claim on ex-Manchester United star Pogba winning World Cup

Graeme Souness has ripped into former Manchester United man Paul Pogba, claiming that winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup was the worst thing that happened to him. The Premier League great has been a persistent critic of the French midfielder from the moment he joined the Red Devils in 2016.

Pogba has put up with regular doses of sharp criticism from Souness over the years. The Frenchman is currently out of action as he remains provisionally banned for testing positive for a banned substance in September 2023.

Graeme Souness believes that winning the World Cup in Russia six years ago did more harm than good for Pogba's career. Speaking to talkSPORT, the pundit revealed that winning the tournament did not allow Pogba attain the heights he ought to have in his career.

“He had the equipment to be the best midfielder in the world, I saw a young man that was going through emotions a lot of the time, and that frustrated me.

“With that physique and that technical ability, he just did not have the right attitude to make him a superstar.

“The worst thing that happened to him was winning a World Cup, because he could turn and say, ‘I am a World Cup winner’.

Paul Pogba played a starring role for the French national team as they won the FIFA World Cup in 2018, 20 years after their first triumph. The then-Manchester United midfielder played all but one of the matches for his country in Russia, scoring in the 4-2 final win against Croatia.

Manchester United linked with midfield reinforcements

This season, midfield has been a major source of concern for Erik ten Hag and his Manchester United side. The Red Devils have missed a midfield profile that enables them control games from the center of the park, with Ten Hag failing to attract any such midfielders to his squad.

Veteran midfielder Casemiro has recently returned from an injury layoff and is expected to play a key part this month, seeing as Sofyan Amrabat is away at AFCON. Teenage sensation Kobbie Mainoo has played the bulk of the minutes since his return to first-team action, and the manager will look to get him some help in midfield.

The exits of Hannibal Mejbri and Donny Van de Beek this month have left the Red Devils a bit light in midfield. They have been linked with several players, including Ederson, Joao Neves, Adrien Rabiot and several others, in their quest to sign another midfielder.