“If I play against him, I’ll kill him” - Paul Pogba reveals what he told Griezmann about Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammate before changing mind

Paul Pogba recently opened up about his perception of Argentine footballers on the pitch and how one unexpected encounter off the pitch completely changed his views. The Frenchman recalled a moment of personal revelation involving some La Albiceleste players - Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, and Marcos Rojo.

The Argentines are renowned for their fiery nature on the pitch, a trait that has helped them in winning trophies. Speaking in a lengthy conversation with ESPN hosted by former Argentine international Sergio Aguero, Pogba shared how their aggressive playing style can make them difficult to play against.

He said (via All About Argentina):

"Why are Argentines so nasty on the pitch, always fighting, talking to you… and then off the pitch, they’re super nice people? When I saw Paredes, I told him: ‘You are a son of a b*tch, I wanted to k*ll you…’

He then recalled a conversation with his compatriot Antoine Griezmann, who was playing alongside De Paul:

"I told Griezmann too, because he was playing with Rodrigo De Paul. I said, ‘I can't stand this guy, I swear. If I play against him, I’ll k*ll him.’ Then I met him at Memphis Depay’s birthday and…TOP. He completely changed my mind. Great guy, super cool. "And Marcos Rojo...pfff. He always trains hard, but I love it. He prepares you for the matches. You already know you’re going to war with guys like that. I always want an Argentine on my team.”

“We’re going to kill them today” - When Paul Pogba said France doesn’t give a sh*t about Argentina

Ahead of the round of 16 clash in the 2018 FIFA World Cup between France and Argentina, Paul Pogba gave a fiery pre-match speech that highlighted the French squad’s ruthless mindset towards the Argentines. France and Argentina have become intense football rivals in recent years, as their encounters on the pitch are often marked by tension and drama.

Speaking before the highly anticipated clash, Pogba said (via ESPN):

"The details boys. Fellas! We want warriors on the pitch today," Pogba said. "I don't want to go home tonight. Me, this evening, I'm not going home. Tomorrow, we're staying at the hotel. "We're going to eat that f------ sauteed pasta again. I don't give a s---, we're not going home. We're going to finish happy. I want us to have a party tonight. I want everyone. Today, we run ourselves to death out on the pitch. No one lets anyone else down. No one drops off. On the pitch, we're all together. Good guys and warriors. Soldiers. We're going to kill them today, these Argentines. Messi or no Messi, we don't give a s---. We're coming to win the f------ World Cup. We have to get through this to do that. Come on boys!"

Pogba’s statement aged well, as France went on to defeat Argentina 4-3 in a pulsating contest. They eventually lifted the trophy, beating Croatia 4-3 in the final.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide