“The nightmare is over” were the first words Paul Pogba wrote after his suspension was officially reduced. After failing a doping test in September 2023, the French midfielder hadn’t set foot on the field since. And he wouldn’t for a long time, if the Court of Arbitration for Sport hadn’t drastically reduced his suspension this September (initially banned for four years). Pogba will be able to start training again in January 2025 and could be back playing in March. A weight has been lifted from the Juventus midfielder’s shoulders, and he feels much better now. However, the period from September to September was, as he said, a nightmare.🇫🇷🗣️ Paul Pogba: “We are all human, we all have feelings. I’m telling you, when that ban happened, I truly realised what life is.” “Paul Pogba – the famous guy – is no more. People were avoiding me. I used to get invited to fashion weeks and events like that. Now they were… pic.twitter.com/B9h5K2h6pa— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) October 16, 2024 Pogba tried to depict how it felt in a first-person interview for The Daily Mail and RMC Sport. To start, he shared how he reacted to the news of his reduced suspension.”It’s a very interesting story. I was trying on a new suit for a movie premiere and didn’t have my phone on me. My wife ran upstairs with my phone and yelled, ‘It’s the lawyer, the lawyer!’ I said I’d call him back later, but she insisted I take the call. So, I went downstairs to talk to him, still in my suit. He told me the news, and I was just silent. Everyone was jumping, so happy, but I was in shock. That happiness quickly turned into determination. We’ve been through hell, a period of darkness. But this is my second chance, and I must take it” Pogba told The Daily Mail.The difficult period helped him realize who truly stood by him and who was only around because of his fame.”We’re all human, and we all have feelings. Let me tell you, when all this happened, I really understood what life is. Half of Pogba, the famous one, was gone. People avoided me. I used to get invited to fashion weeks and similar events, but now it was, ‘We can’t use Pogba for campaigns.’ Even my friends didn’t call as often as before. When people hear ‘doping,’ they immediately think you’re trying to turn into the Hulk. That’s how they saw me. ‘He’s been doping’ – and public opinion allows them to say whatever they want”.Fuel to the fire – Marseille screening Pogba?However, Pogba says it doesn’t bother him much.”I’m completely fine with it. That’s life, and I’ve come to accept it. I’ve grown so much during this time. Today, I’m a different person. Only when something you love is taken from you do you realize how much you truly love and appreciate it.”Pogba: ‘Finally the nightmare is over’Given the original length of his suspension, he admits that he thought his career might be over.”That thought crossed my mind. It was a period of uncertainty. You don’t even know what will happen the next day, you’re just waiting. You have to keep training, stay in shape. At the same time, you’re wondering – what does the club think? But you can’t be in close contact with them. So, you don’t know what to do. You just have to wait for them to call and tell you when the trial is, and you’ll sit and explain everything. That went on for a year. It was tough to deal with. There were moments when I’d ask myself – when will this all end?” he revealed to RMC.’Pogba is not finished, Pogba is here!’He also recalled the moment he found out he was suspended.”I was shocked. They’re accusing me of doping? I immediately started thinking about what I had eaten, what cream I had used… I had a lot of issues outside of football and injuries after I left Manchester United. I wanted Juventus to be a reset for me. And then this happened. Why me? I just wanted to play football, but instead, I was drowning in endless problems. We weren’t prepared for this. Everything hit at once, and at some point, you just break…”Footballers who fell under the spell of witch doctorsIn the end, it turned out that the banned substance entered his system through one of the supplements prescribed by a doctor.”I didn’t make a mistake by taking the supplement; it was prescribed by a professional. My mistake, and I take full responsibility for it, was that I didn’t check it thoroughly three times. But when you go to a doctor, and they tell you to take something twice a day, what are you supposed to do?” Pogba is still under contract with Juventus, but according to reports from Italian media, he might not get a chance there. He himself is unsure of the club’s plans.”No, for now, I don’t know. My current focus is on training, staying healthy, and preparing for January. I’ll talk to Juventus in the coming weeks. But for now, I’m still under contract with Juventus. My desire is just to return, step onto the field, and do what I love the most.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##The year-long break hasn’t killed his ambition to return to the national team.”I have goals and dreams, and my dream has always been to play for the national team, and it’s still in my mind. But today, Pogba’s future is about getting back on the field and proving he’s still at a high level. Pogba is coming back hungrier, with more love for football, ready to give everything. Football didn’t stop because I couldn’t play. Players are still playing; that’s life, that’s the cycle. All the players will say, ‘Pogba is back, and I don’t want him to take my spot.’ That’s normal, but I have to be ready.”In the interview with The Daily Mail, Pogba also reflected on his time at Manchester United, particularly his relationship with José Mourinho.”We were like a couple, always fighting and making up. It started great; he was one of the reasons I came back to Manchester. We talked, and he convinced me to return. I don’t know why it all turned into a nightmare, why we argued. Because I didn’t start the argument. We didn’t get along, as can happen between managers and players, but I respect him a lot. If I saw him tomorrow, I’d hug him! But one day, we’ll have to sit down and talk about everything.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8419244##Mourinho left Old Trafford in December 2018, and under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Pogba had one of his best seasons, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists in the Premier League. However, United only finished sixth, and Pogba felt it was time to go.”I’ll tell you something I haven’t told anyone before. After José left and Ole came in, that was my best season at United. But after the last game, I told Ole and Ed Woodward that I thought it was my last year at the club and that I wanted to leave. I was 27, and things weren’t going the way I’d planned. I gave everything I could, but I didn’t see the club progressing. Manchester City and Liverpool were better than us and getting even better. Ole said I could go and that he’d talk to Ed. Mentally, I’d already left the club, but I came back for preseason because I wanted to be professional. I talked to Ed, but he blocked my departure. I didn’t want to play for United anymore, but I had to stay professional. Mentally, I wasn’t there anymore, and then the injuries followed…” Pogba said honestly.
