Paul Pogba’s former Juventus teammate Gianluigi Buffon believes that he can become the greatest football player in the world.
23-year-old sensation Paul Pogba showed his class in Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Southampton at Old Trafford on Friday. After Pogba expressed his desire to win the Ballon d’Or at Old Trafford, his former Juventus teammate Gianluigi Buffon said that the young player is a blend of football greats Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini, and that he might become the greatest player in the world at United.
Pointing out how he has seen Pogba grow as a player ever since his arrival at Juventus in 2012, Sky Sports reported that Buffon was all praise for the young central midfielder. “His control of the ball and the way he can swiftly change the play from defence to attack is special – and for us it hurts to lose him,” the legendary goalkeeper said.
When asked if Pogba has what it takes to join the league of extraordinary sportsmen like Zidane, Buffon said, “With luck it is possible. The kid is a tremendous warrior on the pitch but also has so much talent.”
Pogba, who recently returned to Old Trafford in an £89 million world record signing, moved from United to Juventus only four years ago on a free transfer. While he was at Juventus, the team won four consectuvie Serie A titles and managed to reach the Champions League final in 2015, which they lost to Barcelona. Buffon added, “It’s not easy to compare him to greats of the past, but [Pogba] has many details of the games of both Platini and Zidane.”
Buffon was confident that Pogba will have great success in the Premier League even though he may take some time to adapt to a new team and a new league. As the Juventus captain pointed out, the French midfielder’s time at the club as a young player will only help in the adaption process, as will his single-mindedness and determination.
Spearheading Mourinho’s revolution, the ongoing season will be crucial for the Frenchman as it will test his adaptability not only to the Premier League, but also to his manager’s tactical systems. Be that as it may, Pogba’s versatility, which makes him the subject of these comparisons, as well as his unreserved investment into the game will convince just about anyone to put their money on Buffon’s predictions coming true.
