In a comedic sketch produced by Paddy Power,former midfielder Graeme Souness conceded that Paul Pogba is among France's most talented players. The 73-year-old pundit adopted a French persona to support England's opponents ahead of their third-place play-off match.
Guillaume Sounet and the Paddy Power anti-England campaign
The Paddy Power comedic sketch featuring Graeme Souness marks a bizarre turn in the pundit's long-standing relationship with French star Paul Pogba. Acting under the pseudonym 'Guillaume Sounet', Souness joined fellow Scottish football icons Charlie Nicholas and Gordon Strachan to adopt an anti-England stance during the tournament .
As the report states, this trio has built a recurring comedic bit by switching their allegiance to whichever nation is currently facing England. This campaign has previously seen the group offer their support to Mexico, Norway, and Argentina. The latest installment, released ahead of the England versus France third-place play-off,saw Souness finally offer a begrudging nod to the former Manchester United midfielder.
The £89 million Manchester United transfer tension
The friction between Souness and Pogba is deeply rooted in the £89 million transfer that brought the Frenchman to Manchester United from Juventus in 2016. According to the source, Souness has spent years as a vocal critic of the player, often describing his style as prioritizing flair over actual substance.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Souness provided further insight into his disdain during a Q&A with the Sunday Times. While acknowledging that Pogba possessed "great athleticism" and "super technique," the former Liverpool midfielder claimed the player's mindset was the complete reverse of his own. Souness suggested that Pogba played primarily to be the center of attention rather than contributing to the team's collective success.
Pogba's 2020 dismissal of the 'legend'
Paul Pogba did not remain a silent observer during this years-long war of words. In an April 2020 episode of the United Podcast, the midfielder dismissed the criticisms by claiming he was largely unaware of who Souness even was . Pogba noted that while he recognized the face of the former Scotland midfielder, the name did not register with him.
This dismissive attitude resurfaced earlier this year when Rio Ferdinand mentioned Souness's heavy focus on the Frenchman during his own podcast. Even then, Pogba's response remained blunt, acknowledging Souness's status as a "legend" while maintaining his distance from the pundit's commentary. This history of mutual friction makes Souness's recent, albeit comedic, praise all the more unexpected.
Does the 'oui' signal a genuine change of heart?
While the sketch provides a moment of levity, several questions remain regarding the sincerity of the exchange. It is unclear if Souness's reluctant "oui" represents a genuine evolution in his professional opinion of Pogba's talent, or if it is strictly a performance for the Paddy Power brand. Furthermore, the report does not clarify if Pogba or his representatives have any inttention of acknowledging this comedic pivot, leaving the true nature of their relationship firmly in the realm of scripted entertainment.
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