FIFA World Cup 2018: 5 big-name footballers that could disappoint
Just three more days to go. Three. After that, the world will slow down – or, shall I say, the timing of the world will become different for one month. Why? Because of the FIFA WC 2018.
It is the tournament that features some of the best players in the world fighting for a trophy they want the most. Playing in the grandest stage of them all, in itself, is a dream for many.
There is not a single footballer in the world that can claim to not ever dream about winning the World Cup. Not one single player. It is an accolade that every player wants to associate himself to.
Regardless of how many trophies an individual has won, lacking the World Cup in the cabinet is like a black mark – a sort of void that can never truly be replaced by anything.
It is for this reason that players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo openly admit to giving away every title that they won in exchange for the World Cup. These two will be giving it their all in order to win the biggest tournament in the world – and have a shot at winning the Golden Ball as well.
There are some big names, however, who are most likely to not have as good a tournament like they usually do with their respective clubs. And here are 5 players who could flop in Russia...
#5 Paul Pogba
The fact that Manchester United still need to sign players to ‘unlock’ the former Juventus star speaks volume about the erratic nature of his career after joining the Red Devils.
Brought for a then world record fee of £89 million, Pogba hasn’t truly been able to scale the heights that he did during his time in Turin. There have also been reports of problems between him and manager Jose Mourinho, further revealing his inconsistency at the club.
For France, he remains their best midfielder after the tenacious N’Golo Kante. The Chelsea man takes the defensive burden with Pogba being the creative box-to-box hub for France.
His inconsistency this season at the Old Trafford means that he is susceptible to having a poor time in Russia, which is why he finds himself on this list.