Top 10 Interesting Facts about Paul Pogba

Manchester United footballer Paul Pogba in 2017 UEFA Europa league match in Rostov, Russia. Photo by Светлaна Бекетова. Wikimedia

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Paul Pogba

Paul Labile Pogba (born March 15, 1993) is a French professional footballer who currently plays for Premier League club Manchester United as well as the France national team.

Pogba primarily plays central midfield, but he can also play left winger, attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, and deep-lying playmaker. 

He joined the youth team of Ligue 1 club Le Havre in 2007, before a lengthy transfer to Manchester United two years later. He then left later on a free transfer to join Italian club Juventus in 2012. There  he helped the club win four consecutive Serie A titles, as well as two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana.

Pogba’s performances at Juventus prompted him to return to Manchester United in 2016 for a then-world record fee of €105 million. Until 2021, the fee was the highest paid by an English club. 

He won the League Cup and the Europa League in his first season back.  He was named to the PFA Team of the Year for the 2018-19 season.

Pogba captained France to victory in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup and was named the tournament’s Best Player for his efforts. He made his senior team debut a year later and played a key role in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, winning the Best Young Player Award for his efforts.

He later represented his country at UEFA Euro 2016, finishing as runner-up, before winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the final.

1. Paul Pogba’s brothers are also footballers 

Pogba was born to Guinean parents in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne. He’s Muslim. He has two older brothers, Florentin and Mathias, who were born in Guinea and are both footballers for the Guinean national team.

Florentin is currently a defender for ATK Mohun Bagan, and Mathias is a forward for ASM Belfort.  Pogba grew up a fan of Arsenal.

2. The birth of Paul Pogba’s career

Pogba started playing football at the age of six, for US Roissy-en-Brie, a few miles south of his hometown. He played for the club for seven seasons before joining US Torcy. He captained the club’s under-13 team. 

Pogba left Torcy after one season to join the professional club Le Havre. Pogba captained the club’s under-16 team to the final stage of its domestic league, the Championnat National des 16 ans, in his second season.

Le Havre finished second to Lens in the final group phase, beating out Lyon and Nancy. Pogba has also established himself as his country’s youth international.

3. Pogba joined the youth academy of Manchester United

Paul Pogba. Photo by Ardfern. Wikimedia

Pogba announced his departure from Le Havre on July 31, 2009, to join Manchester United’s youth academy in England. The move surprised his parent club, which allegedly had a “non-solicitation agreement” with Pogba signed in 2006 by both the player and his parents.

The deal, which lasted until the end of the 2009-10 season, allowed Le Havre to sign Pogba to an aspirant (youth) contract if he met certain age and scholarship requirements. 

Le Havre issued an official statement on its website on August 1 criticizing Manchester United and the Pogba family.  Le Havre also stated its intention to request that FIFA investigate the situation.

4. Pogba scored a piledriver goal

Paul Pogba. Photo by Ardfern. Wikimedia

Pogba joined Manchester United on 7 October 2009 and made his debut with the club’s under-18 team on 10 October in a 2-1 loss to Crewe Alexandra. He scored seven goals in 21 appearances for the under-18s.

The team won their group but lost 5-3 on penalties to Arsenal in the play-off semi-finals. Pogba was a member of the under-18 team that successfully defended their title at the Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo in Bologna, Italy, in April 2010. 

Pogba remained with the club’s academy team in the Premier Academy League during the 2010-11 season and played with the team for the first three months of the season. He was called up to the club’s reserve team in November 2010 and made his debut in a 3-1 win over Bolton Wanderers on November 2, 2010. 

Pogba scored a long-range goal described as a “piledriver” in the team’s 3-2 win over Portsmouth in the FA Youth Cup on 10 January 2011. The victory advanced the team to the fourth round of the competition.  Pogba scored a similar goal in a 3-2 Academy League defeat to West Bromwich Albion a month later.

5. Pogba was promoted while in the academy

Paul Pogba. Photo by Ardfern. Wikimedia

Pogba was one of four academy players promoted to the first-team squad by manager Alex Ferguson on February 19, 2011.

He  was given the number 42 shirt.  He stayed with the under-18s for the rest of the season.

6. Pogba joined the senior team in 2011

Ferguson confirmed ahead of the start of the 2011-12 season that Pogba would play for the senior team.

Pogba was promoted to the club’s reserve team on a permanent basis for the 2011-12 season, making his debut on 15 August 2011 in the team’s opening Premier Reserve League match against Arsenal.

7. Pogba left Manchester United in 2012

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson confirmed on 3 July 2012 that Pogba had left the club after failing to sign a new contract.  

8. Pogba joined Juventus

Paul Pogba.Muhammad Ashiq. Wikimedia

On July 27, Juventus announced on their official website that Pogba had passed a medical at the club, and the transfer was completed on August 3rd, when he signed a four-year contract. 

On August 1, he made his debut for Juventus in a pre-season friendly against Benfica in Geneva, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute for Andrea Pirlo. 

9. Pogba’s world cup victory

Paul Pogba and family holding the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Photo by Антон Зайцев. Wikimedia

Pogba was named in France’s squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On June 16, 2018, he took the shot that deflected off Aziz Behich and resulted in France’s 2-1 victory over Australia in the tournament’s opening match.

The goal was initially given to Pogba.  FIFA re-awarded it to Behich the next day as an own goal.  Pogba extended France’s lead over Croatia on 59th minute of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. 

10. Pogba has a sponsorship with Adidas 

Pogba sponsors sportswear and equipment manufacturer Adidas. He has appeared in an Adidas 2018 World Cup commercial.

Pogba’s goal celebration, dubbed “the Dab,” first appeared in EA Sports’ FIFA video game series in FIFA 17.