In a sad turn of events, former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been banned from football for four years.
Paul Pogba’s doping charges
Journalist Fabrizio Romano broke the news via his social media accounts earlier today.
The Frenchman tested positive for testosterone following Juventus’ match with Udinese in August 2023. It is a banned substance as per UEFA regulations and it was detected in Pogba’s sample despite him not participating in that match.
Paul Pogba and his legal team posed an argument that the midfielder’s consumption of the substance was accidental. However, that was rejected in court. A plea deal was also made which was also rejected.
Now, following the ban, it looks likely that Pogba will be forced into retirement despite being just 30 years old.
Pogba’s career background & achievements
Pogba came through the ranks at Manchester United but left the club for Juventus in 2012 without having made a single appearance. He came into prominence with the Italian giants and attracted attention from all over the world with his displays.
Eventually, the Red Devils brought him back to Old Trafford in a then-world record deal of £89.3 million in 2016. He had great purple patches with the club but was often plagued by unnecessary media attention and injuries. He made a total of 233 appearances for United, scoring 39 goals and providing 51 assists.
He then returned to Juve on a four-year deal in 2022. However, just weeks after joining, the Frenchman suffered a meniscus injury that sidelined him long-term. Paul Pogba made a total of 190 appearances for Juventus across two spells, scoring 34 goals and providing 41 assists.
The midfielder is a four-time Serie A winner with Juventus and has lifted the Europa League with Manchester United. Pogba is also a World Cup winner with France and has made 91 appearances for his country, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists.
Now, a career which was once on a major upward trajectory has plummeted drastically.
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