Paul Pogba has claimed that the France team at the 2026 World Cup is better than the 2018 winners, which he was a part of.
Speaking exclusively to ESPN, the former Manchester United midfielder said that he believed France would lift the World Cup again after being beaten in the final by Argentina in 2022.
“Yeah. I think everybody sees them as favourites,” he said. “They have to [be]. They have probably the best players in the world.
“But obviously, that is not enough to win a World Cup, and there is more pressure on them,” he continued, adding that “they have to keep the standard as high as possible.”
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Pogba scored France’s third goal of the 2018 final as Didier Deschamps‘ side beat Croatia 4-2 to end a 20-year wait to get their hands back on the World Cup trophy.
Kylian Mbappé, N’Golo Kanté and Ousmane Dembélé were included alongside Pogba in that squad, and they are now joined by the likes of Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and William Saliba.
“For me, as players — talent and everything — I think they’re better than us,” Pogba said. “Yeah, I think they’re better than us. But then, obviously, hopefully, that will make them win the World Cup.”
The Monaco midfielder also backed former teammate Mbappé to once again deliver on the biggest stage after another season at Real Madrid without any silverware.
“Can you imagine me say[ing] that he had a little difficult season, and this difficult season would be the best season ever for almost all the strikers,” Pogba said. “So that’s how good he is.
“For him to score 40 goals a year is a difficult season, so I don’t know. I’m just saying, for me it’s not a bad season!”
Pogba dismissed the notion that there might be more pressure on the striker, pointing out that he now has more experience and adding: “He’s the best striker of his generation. Period.”
