Paul Pogba delivered an inspiring speech before France’s World Cup last-16 win over Argentina, telling his teammates ‘today we kill them, Messi or no Messi’.
France claimed their second world title thanks to Sunday’s 4-2 victory against Croatia in Moscow and Pogba’s influence on the dressing room has been telling amid the celebrations.
Pogba made a number of speeches en route to the decider and footage of his comments prior to France’s thrilling 4-3 triumph at the expense of Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Kazan has emerged.
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‘I want to see warriors on the field, guys,’ Pogba told his teammates in a scene from a documentary aired by TF1.
‘We will finish happy! I want to party tonight. I want to be dead on the field, all together! I want men, warriors, soldiers.
‘Today we will “kill” them. Messi or no Messi, I don’t care! We came to win this f****** World Cup!’
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Manchester United midfielder Pogba was at it again before France defeated 10-man Uruguay 2-0 in Nizhny Novgorod for a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
‘That’s it, there is no turning back any more,’ said Pogba. ‘That’s it! We’re going to continue, we’re gonna go all the way! See you on 15 July – all together!
‘Today Blaise [Matuidi, who was banned for the quarter-final clash due to an accumulation of yellow cards] is on the bench, he’s disappointed, he’s annoyed! He wants to play more than anyone else on the pitch! He’s bummed!
‘It’s for guys like him that we fight today! He’s not going to be there on the pitch, but it will be as if he was there with us. Everyone needs to bring their A-game!
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‘And now we’re going to fight for our partners, like we did before! Argentina and maybe even more! Even more! Always more! We have to beat the best to be the best!’