Liverpool’s rising defensive star Jérémy Jacquet has revealed a surprising detail about the player who inspired him most throughout his childhood: Paul Pogba.
Jacquet admitted that Pogba has always been his ultimate role model and that admiration has never changed, even now that he has established himself as a Liverpool defender and a France international.
The connection actually makes perfect sense when you look at Jacquet’s early football journey. Before becoming a centre-back, the Frenchman started out as a midfielder and dreamed of playing like Pogba. He followed the former France star closely and watched his matches whenever he could.
“I wanted to play like him,” Jacquet has previously explained.
Interestingly, Jacquet did not initially want to move into defence. Rennes coaches eventually convinced him that his future was at centre-back, a decision that has completely transformed his career. Today, his ability to remain calm under pressure, carry the ball forward and break defensive lines with his passing still shows traces of his midfield background.
That Pogba influence can be seen in Jacquet’s style. He is not the typical centre-back who simply clears the ball and stays deep. He wants to play, progress possession and make things happen from the back.
And now, at just 21, Jacquet is already making a huge impression at Liverpool. He arrived from Rennes in the summer and has quickly shown why the Reds invested heavily in his potential. His composed performances have also earned him recognition with the French national team, giving him the chance to work under Zinedine Zidane.
There is also another fascinating part to his story. While Pogba was Jacquet’s biggest inspiration as a midfielder, Virgil van Dijk was one of the defenders he studied most closely. Now Jacquet is actually sharing a dressing room with Van Dijk at Liverpool.
From watching Pogba on television as a youngster to playing alongside one of his defensive heroes at Anfield, Jacquet’s journey is moving incredibly fast.
The dream has changed, the position has changed, but the inspiration remains.
Paul Pogba was the player young Jacquet wanted to become. Now Liverpool fans are hoping Jacquet can create a legacy of his own.
And considering how quickly he has adapted to life at Anfield, the future looks seriously exciting.
