Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho believes the World Cup provided the perfect environment for Paul Pogba to thrive.

United midfielder Pogba excelled as France triumphed in Russia this summer, the 25-year-old even capping a fine series of performances with a memorable goal against Croatia in the final.

That came after an inconsistent season with United which at times saw the Frenchman left out of Mourinho’s side and even led to speculation over his future.

Mourinho feels the closed-off nature of tournament football clearly suits Pogba but he hopes the player, an £89million signing from Juventus two years ago, can carry some of its intensity into the club season.

Mourinho told ESPN: “I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him, it’s about him giving the best he has to give.

“I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give (their) best. Why? Because it’s closed for a month, where he can only think about football. Where he’s with his team on the training camp, completely isolated from the external world, where they focus just on football, where the dimensions of the game can only motivate.

“During a season, you can have a big match then a smaller match, then one even smaller, then you can lose your focus, you can lose your concentration, then comes a big match again.”