Pogba says he prefers to do his talking on the pitch

'To live happy, live hidden.' Paul Pogba knows the saying and has already adopted the idea with reporters. Last Friday, at the Stade de France, when the midfielder was challenged by a colleague on the fact that he hasn't addressed the press for several months, Pogba said: "I prefer to talk on the field."

At 23, the Lagny-sur-Marne native regularly talks to team-mates and won't hesitate to give his opinion during a game. But Pogba needs to lead on the field. Since the beginning of October, the word "leader" has often been used in press conferences. And, without Patrice Evra, and with a very young France team, Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps knows he needs players to step up and this includes Pogba, who has featured in the last 16 France fixtures - something no other player has done.

A world record move to Manchester United in the summer saw expectation soar. However, since returning to Old Trafford, Pogba has struggled to replicate the performances he previously delivered on a consistent basis.

"He played differently with the France team compared with Juventus, or now at Manchester United," admitted Antoine Griezmann on Friday. "We expect him to be the hub of the team, not that he scores goals from 50 yards out."

Pogba's role has changed. For France, he is expected to take up a deeper position in which he keeps things simple and makes the team tick, rather than the flashy, creative role in which he enjoyed so much success at Juventus. 

"It's not the playmaker role," Deschamps acknowledged in a press conference. "This is a role to help the team to build and to protect the defence from a central midfield position. But he has all the qualities to do it well."