Pogba's photo from 16 years ago goes viral

A photo of the match between France U16 and Germany U16 in 2009 suddenly went viral when it revealed that the young player who once faced Paul Pogba is now a familiar face in the Premier League.

Pogba and Hurzeler's careers have gone in two completely different directions.

On X , netizens were challenged to guess the identity of the young player who faced Pogba directly. And the answer that surprised many people was Fabian Hurzeler, the captain of Brighton. In the photo, Hurzeler, wearing the number 10 shirt of the German U16 team, is competing for the ball with Pogba, wearing his familiar number 6 shirt.

Hurzeler, born in Texas in 1993, played for Germany's youth teams before spending most of his playing career in the lower leagues. His big break came at the end of 2022 when he was appointed by St. Pauli, becoming the youngest coach in Bundesliga 2 history at the age of 29.

In the 2024 season, Hurzeler brought St. Pauli to the Bundesliga and was immediately chosen by Brighton to replace Roberto De Zerbi. Currently, the 32-year-old coach is considered one of the most promising strategists in Europe. Brighton's 47% winning rate and 7th place in the Premier League this season are clear proof of Hurzeler's talent.

Meanwhile, Pogba has had a career full of ups and downs. After the peak of winning the 2018 World Cup with France and a period of sublimation at Juventus, the 32-year-old midfielder has just returned to play for AS Monaco after an 18-month suspension for doping.

Two contrasting images, two different paths, but starting from the same moment 16 years ago. The 2009 photo became an interesting testament to the unpredictability of football.

Source: https://znews.vn/buc-anh-16-nam-truoc-cua-pogba-gay-sot-post1608586.html