Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has identified Paul Scholes and Andrea Pirlo as two of the biggest influences on his career.
Pogba was a young player coming through the ranks at United during the latter stages of Scholes's distinguished Old Trafford career, while he played alongside Pirlo from 2012 to 2015 at Juventus, winning three successive Serie A titles.
The 27-year-old has since developed into one of the most high-profile players in world football himself, but he credited the legendary midfield duo with helping him develop into a World Cup winner.
"You learn a lot and you look at them. I really learned and have been learning. It was unbelievable for me, seeing them training like that, and it pushed me," Pogba told the official Manchester United podcast.
"Okay, I have to work hard and have a lot more to do. Pirlo and Scholes, those are midfielders who control the game, the players to look at, and I learned from them, a lot. I started as a striker and then a number 10 and then a number six. Thank God, I didn't go to centre-back! It was because I wanted to touch the ball too much.
"I was the striker and dropping too much, so one coach told me 'Okay, play the number 10 and touch the ball more'. I still loved the ball too much and had too many touches so he put me at number six."
Pogba also hit back at regular critic Graeme Souness, who has since responded by challenging the Frenchman to "put your medals on the table".
Barney Corkhill
