Manchester United’s Paul Pogba receives leadership praise from Premier League rivals

Hugo Lloris praised Paul Pogba’s leadership in France’s goalless draw with Portugal.

It was the Manchester United midfielder’s first start for France in over a year due to injuries and the coronavirus pandemic.

Pogba played the full 90 minutes in the Nations League draw, in which the teams were equal.

Pogba started alongside N’Golo Kante and Adrien Rabiot in midfield and had three shots on goal, but could not overcome the impasse.

His performance impressed Spurs goalkeeper Lloris, who said the team was strengthened by Pogba’s presence on the pitch.

Lloris said to M6: “Very present, he wanted the ball.

“He hung up his voice. He’s a leader and we felt it.

“After a year of absence we felt him in our legs. But he was fine. ”

He added: “There was a highly skilled opponent up front. In the second half we played higher and there was a lot more activity.

“In the first half there was a tendency to withdraw, perhaps out of fear. After that there was quality on the other hand. Everyone had their period.

“We lacked sharpness in the last 30 meters. We would have preferred to win, but it’s a solid performance. ”

It’s not the first time that Pogba, who has also coached United youngsters, has been praised for his leadership skills in the French squad.

The 27-year-old played a key role in the dressing room in France’s 2018 World Cup victory.

It prompted France coach Didier Deschamps to refer to Pogba as a born leader who is misunderstood by some sections of the media.

Deschamps said in 2018: “He has been with the national team since 2013 and has always thought of the collective.

“There’s the idea that he’s a bit individualistic and thinks only of himself, but that’s not the case at all. I think that’s one thing that needs to be said.

“Another reason is that he came to the World Cup really prepared and took the lead on and off the pitch. He became a bit of a spokesman for the team, and he can because he’s a good speaker. ”

“I spoke to him about his relationship with the media and I think he has been wrongly criticized in the past.

“That’s why there was this aggressive mood and he had this tense relationship.

“But criticism is part of the job and I think you’ll learn to take that into account as you get more experienced.

“That’s exactly what happened to him and I think he has gained some respect. He joined us to become world champion and he took the entire squad with him. ”