Messi not criticized for walking: Pogba hits back at critics

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba insisted that criticism about his personality and style of play will not change him.

France won 3-1 in their recent pre-World Cup friendly against Italy and Pogba was picked in Didier Deschamps line up. However, a poll run by France Football after the friendly match revealed that 73 percent people preferred Bayern Munich’s Corentin Tolisso to replace Pogba in the starting XI.

 “A lot of people are proud of what I do and what I represent,” Pogba told France Football. “When they meet me in person, they're surprised and say to themselves I'm really nice.

“From the outside, they don't have that image and think I'm a star, arrogant, that I'm going to look down on them. It's funny. In fact, I'm just me. Those who don't know me look only at appearances.

“There will always be people who think: 'Ah, he's a bighead, ah, he shows off,' and everyone has the right to their opinion. You have the right to criticise me -- to speak. But that's not going to change me.”

On his style of play, Pogba added: “I have always been like that. What I have won, I have won by being like that. I'm like that. It's my playing style. You're not going to criticise [Lionel] Messi when he walks on the pitch. He scores three goals and you're going to say: 'Ah, but he walks on the pitch?' No.

“People can't tell me how I have to play. No-one can tell me how I have to play. If I'm in this position today, it's by being like this. No one has told me how to be. It's my football, that's all. People either love it or not.

“Do I need that for people to love me? Do I need that for people to judge me differently? Or speak better of me?” concluded Pogba.

Despite all the criticisms, Pogba provided 10 assists in the Premier League Last season and also helped Manchester United to secure a 3-2 win over rival Manchester City after being 2-0 down in the game where the French midfielder scored twice.