World Cup final 2018: Paul Pogba happy to prove critics wrong as he makes history with goal as France beat Croatia
The Frenchman became the first-ever Red Devil to score in a World Cup final
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Your support makes all the difference.Paul Pogba made Manchester United history with his goal in the final as France beat Croatia 4-2 to win their second World Cup.
France got the best out of Pogba throughout the tournament, and he scored their third goal in the final to become the first United player to score in the tournament's showpiece game.
The midfielder also became the third United player to win a World Cup, joining Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles who won with England in 1966.
Mario Mandzukic scored an own goal which was levelled by Ivan Perisic, but Antoine Griezmann restored France’s lead from the spot. After the break, Pogba had a right footed shot blocked on the edge of the box but reacted quickly and swung his left foot at the ball and angled it into the corner of the net.
Kylian Mbappe added a fourth before Mandzukic scored to set up a big finish, but France held on and were deserved winners.
Pogba said he was delighted to prove his critics wrong and and reach an "unbelievable achievement" with his country.
"It’s just unbelievable, magnificent, wonderful, a dream come true," Pogba said. "People criticise and talk bad about us at the start of the World Cup but today we won, and now I want to hear them, because they’re going to celebrate with us, and it’s fine, we invite them to celebrate with us. We like when people do not believe with us and we showed them they have to believe in us.
"The only answer we can have is always on the pitch, the criticism is always going to be there, it’s the job of the journalist, they have to do it, but I don’t think it’s bad, I think it’s a challenge, for me to improve and get better and better, to win trophies and we did today so I’m very happy, the most important thing is that I won the World Cup and be in history forever."
Pogba admits that it is a relief that France were able to win the World Cup and make the most of their young talented squad, as well as paying tribute to Croatia.
"We had a group that had the talent to do it and we always believed that we could and we did it today," he said. "It was hardest at the start and we had the young talent and altogether we make a great team.
"We won it against a big team, Croatia; they put us in trouble a lot but today. Two stars," he added while pointing to the new French shirt. "That’s it."
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