Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 7y

Paul Pogba unlikely to win Ballon d'Or - France boss Didier Deschamps

France coach Didier Deschamps says Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will not win the Ballon d'Or unless he produces a world-class tournament display.

France international Pogba, 23, became the world's most expensive footballer when he moved from Juventus to United for €105 million (£89.3m) in the summer. 

However, with forwards Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo having won the award every year since Brazilian attacking midfielder Kaka's success in 2007, Deschamps says Pogba's role makes him an unlikely candidate.

Fabio Cannavaro, who won the Ballon d'Or after Italy's World Cup success in 2006, is the only defensive player to claim the award since Matthias Sammer in 1996, when the Germany international had been named the European Championship's Player of the Tournament.

"He's a midfielder," Deschamps told RMC when asked about Pogba. "The Ballon d'Or is for forwards or No. 10s, apart from rare exceptions in certain competitions. They're players who score goals."

Deschamps added: "Paul has scored some, he's going to score some, but he won't score three goals per match. That's not his game."

Despite his price tag, Pogba has only shown glimpses of his immense talent since returning to Old Trafford.

Two goals and a single assist have been a meagre return from his 13 Premier League appearances so far, and Deschamps suggested that some of Pogba's most outlandish moves on the pitch are designed to silence his critics rather than help his team.

"All expectations are focused on him, and it will always be like that," Deschamps, France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning captain, said. "He's someone who is always catching the eye with a move. He can do things others can't, but he has to also be in the reality of what is good for the team.

"We're talking about a young player. He's at a club where he is used in different positions.

"Even when he does things well, it's never good enough. So, you can understand why that pushes him to do things that are out of the ordinary but which are not necessarily useful. There is also the character Paul Pogba, with his media side, the social media, his transfer. He has no part in that. He didn't set the price. Now, honestly, he's not under pressure."

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