Whether we’re huge sports fans, or just watch a game when hanging out with friends (since there are usually snacks), we know that athletes are fueled by the passion they’ve had for their chosen sport since they were young. That’s why we’re so inspired by movies about football players and those athletes who impress everyone when they break out onto the scene.
Paul Pogba was one such athlete when he began playing for Juventus, the football club of Turin, Italy. The French footballer is well-known for his ability to play different positions, and because he saw an amazing victory in the World Cup in 2018. What has been going on with Paul Pogba’s career?
What happened to Paul Pogba’s football career?
Paul Pogba was banned from playing football for four years in August 2023 when he failed a doping test. According to 90min.com, “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites” were found in his test, and then when he did the test again, the Italian Anti-Doping Agency (NADO Italia) said he had to stop playing. This is one of the sports bans that is the most memorable, including when Salt Bae wasn’t allowed to go to the U.S. Open Cup.
As of now, it seems that Paul Pogba wants to play football again, even if his ban does last four years. According to Onefootball.com, Rafaela Pimenta, who works as Pogba’s sports agent, explained, “Sometimes I tell him: ‘Shall we do something else?’ And he gets angry, he says to me: ‘Rafa! I have to train. You haven’t understood: I have to play, I have to win and I have to finish a path that I started.’”
As several people have pointed out, if Paul Pogba’s four-year ban continues, he can’t return to the career that he loves until 2027. That’s definitely a long time to wait, but it sounds like he wants to keep pursuing his dreams. According to ESPN, Paul Pogba is appealing the ruling, and he will face the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Pogba shared his sadness over the ruling on his Instagram account and said it was untrue. He wrote that he was “sad, shocked and heartbroken” and said “I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.” He added, “I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances.”
Doping has been a topic of conversation in the athletic world for a long time now, and Pogba isn’t the only athlete who has allegedly used substances to play better. The Guardian reported in 2017 that 57% of athletes who took two surveys back in 2011 said they had used substances while playing before. That same year, the BBC reported that 52 coaches and athletes had been banned because of doping. Of course, the most famous doping case has to be Lance Armstrong’s. While of course many athletes see their reputations ruined after they are accused of doping, others do stage comebacks. For instance, CBC.com reported that Eric Lamaze was banned from riding horses for four years because of his cocaine usage. Lamaze ended up being allowed back after one year and continued his career.
According to 90min.com, Paul Pogba’s ban isn’t the only difficult and complicated situation that has come up during his athletic career. In 2022, he was the victim of kidnapping in Paris, which is terrifying to read about. The Guardian reported that four of his long-time friends and Mathias, his older brother, were placed under arrest. That same year, Pogba also hurt his knee badly. There was also a rumor that Pogba found a doctor who practiced witchcraft in order to hurt Kylian Mbappé, but Pogba says he didn’t work with the doctor for that reason, according to The Daily Mail.
What is Paul Pogba doing now?
Although Paul Pogba is taking a break from playing football, fans can still keep up with him. Besides thinking about his appeal, Pogba was watching a Euro 2024 game in Dusseldorf, Germany on July 1st, 2024. The Daily Mail reported that people were thrilled to see him there.
The athlete is also still active on his Instagram account. He has a mind-blowing 61.5 million followers at the time of this article, and shares photos of himself working out and spending time with his family.
Despite the difficult time that he must have had considering the love he has for football, Pogba has maintained a positive attitude, and he shares optimistic messages on Instagram. In one recent post, he wrote in the caption, “Take life on life’s terms – one day at the time. And have fun while you doing it.” He’s also raising his three children with his wife Zulay Pogba. While no one knows what they decided to name their third kid, their other two children are Keyaan Zaahid Pogba and Labile Shakur Pogba.
Pogba shared a photo of himself with his little ones in March 2024 and wrote in the caption, “Them! The reason why I keep smiling.”