Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Paul Pogba

Top Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Paul Pogba

10 things you didn’t know about Paul Pogba? Unknown facts about Paul Pogba? Hidden secrets of Paul Pogba? Facts one should know about Manchester United’s most expensive player? Things you wished you knew about Paul Pogba?

Paul Pogba is the poster boy of Manchester United. Signed for a club-record £89m fee in 2016, the Frenchman is the Red Devils’ most expensive player ever.

Pogba also happens to be an integral part of the institution, both from the footballing and marketing perspective. The 26-year-old finished as United’s top scorer in the 2018/19 season with 16 goals. No wonder he is the most important player in Solskjaer’s lineup.

On that note, let’s take a look at top 10 things about Paul Pogba you didn’t know.

Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Paul Pogba

10. Paul Pogba’s nickname

When we think of the name Paul Pogba, we often relate with his innumerable hairstyles and his trademark dab celebration. What we rarely know is the fact about his nickname.

The Frenchman, during his stay in Italy, was known as IL Polpo Paul in Italian. He landed that nickname thanks to his gangly legs.

IL Polpo Paul means ‘ Paul The Octopus’. Heard it somewhere, have you? Guessed right. Paul the Octopus was apparently a real Octopus who became famous for predicting the correct results of games in the FIFA World Cup in 2010.9. First midfielder to wear number 6 shirt
Manchester United have the pleasure of boasting a number of world-class midfielders who have played at Old Trafford. But, none of them has ever worn the number 6 shirt for the Red Devils.

The last two Manchester United players to wear that number were Wes Brown and Johnny Evans. As it happens, Paul Pogba is the first midfielder ever to wear that number.

It is surprising how a player of the Frenchman’s stature and importance wears number 6, when he could have actually increased his popularity by wearing number 7.8. First player to have Twitter hashtag emoji
Paul Pogba’s love for social media is nonsecret for football fans. The Frenchman is often seen basking around on the social media platforms whenever he gets a new haircut or tries out different looks.

Apparently, the midfielder is the first football to have his first hashtag emoji on Twitter. The social media website decided to honour the Frenchman by creating an emoji of his face – a decision that didn’t quite go right with Ian Wright.7.Paul Pogba’s favourite food

When it comes to footballers, every one of us is eager to know their likes and dislikes. Ranging from clothing and Tv shows to food and music, surely every one of us loves a peek into the lives of our model footballers.

When it comes to food, Paul Pogba has already declared his endless love for Pasta. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said,

“I can do easy things like pasta with chicken or pasta with fish, but in Italy you just need to walk out the door and you can have the best pasta in the world cooked for you.”6. His role model in football

Paul Pogba has openly declared the respect and love he harbours for Andrea Pirlo. The Italian pass master happens to be his role model.

“I am lucky that I get to play with my hero – Andrea Pirlo,” the Frenchman said in 2014.

“I make no secret I want to become like him. He has won everything and he has won it playing such an important role.”

As a matter of fact, Pogba’s first appearance for Juventus came as a substitute for Pirlo in a game against Benfica. The pair shared the dressing room for three seasons before the veteran midfielder decided to leave the Bianconeri.

Pogba has also taken lessons from Pirlo on how to take set-pieces.5. He is good friends with Mario Balotelli!
Mario Balotelli is one of those players who will make you laugh heartily with his antiques and social media banters. The Italian has been a journeyman in football playing for various clubs. And, Paul Pogba is on his list of good friends he has made in his footballing career.

It is interesting to note that both Balotelli and Pogba never shared a pitch for the same team. However, the pair struck a friendship because they have the same agent, none other than the famous Mino Raiola.

Balotelli has apparently confirmed that Raiola’s remarks about Pogba were influential in striking a good friendship with the midfielder.

“He’s one of Mino’s players, so we have the same agent and we met and we keep a good relationship like friends,” the Italian said.

“I knew he was good because my agent always told me ‘I have a player at United who is unbelievable’.4. Paul Pogba idolized Ravel Morrison as an academy player
Be it football or any other field, every one of us has a subordinate role model whom we try to emulate at some point. As for Paul Pogba, the Frenchman kept tabs on Ravel Morrison during his time at United’s youth academy.

Ravel Morrison was garnering rave reviews when he burst on to the football scene as a youngster. Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand had already hailed him as the ‘best ever they had seen at his age’.

Pogba partnered Morrison and its no rocket science to know why the Frenchman held his subordinate in high regard. However, Morrison’s career has dwindled drastically as Pogba has risen to become one of the world’s best midfielders of this generation.3. He supported Arsenal as a youngster
That does come as a shocker, doesn’t it? Paul Pogba may be a famed academy graduate at Old Trafford, but he didn’t think twice about revealing his love for Arsenal as a kid.

The reason is obvious, isn’t it? Back when Pogba was just about to enter his teens, The Gunners had a French contingent who were at the height of their powers. Arsene Wenger managed the likes of Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, two of the greatest footballers of their generation, and created the Invincibles team back then.

If it wasn’t for a dip in Arsenal’s form in recent years, we would have seen Pogba plying his trade at the Emirates instead of Old Trafford.2. He hired dietician at age 16
Dedication and hard work are the only secrets to making it as a top-notch footballer, and Pogba is well aware of this fact. The Frenchman hired a personal physiotherapist who would treat him after games and in the preseason.

Apparently, the 26-year-old also hired a personal dietician at the age of 16 to make sure he was physically ready to cope up with the brutality of the beautiful game.
No wonder Pogba doesn’t have to stick to the fringes due to prolonged injuries.

1. The nationality of his brothers
That Paul Pogba has two twin brothers who also play football is a well-known fact. Mattias Pogba plays as a forward for Manchego while Florentin Pogba plies his trade for MLS side Atlanta United.

What is rarely known is the fact that his brothers represent a different country. While Paul plays for France, both Florentin and Mattias are New Guinea internationals.

Quite interesting family, isn’t it? Just, one of the ten things you didn’t know about Paul Pogba.

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