The Curious Case of Paul Pogba—How the World Cup Winner’s Career Spiraled Out of Control

From soccer’s record transfer, to World Cup winner, to an 18-month doping ban … Paul Pogba’s career has been quite the rollercoaster.

A journey which began at Le Havre’s academy in his native France has brought the loftiest of highs and some devastating lows via two separate stints each at Manchester United and Juventus, as well as a brief time with Monaco after returning to the sport in 2025.

Few athletes have captured the imagination quite like the mercurial Frenchman during the 21st century. An unquestionable phenomenon, Pogba oozed swagger and perfectly epitomized the modern soccer celebrity, not to mention his status as one of the world’s leading midfielders during the 2010s.

However, despite being just 33 years old, Pogba is soon to be unemployed. Discussions are ongoing over the termination of his contract, as per BBC Sport, after he made just six appearances for Monaco during the 2025–26 season.

Eight years on from winning the World Cup in 2018, Pogba finds himself in limbo.

The Glorious Juventus Years

Paul Pogba — Pogba was unplayable in Turin. | Getty/Marco Luzzani

Manchester United were quick to snatch Pogba from Le Havre in 2009. There was controversy over the switch, with the French club accusing the Red Devils of “stealing” their prized asset unlawfully, but the transfer progressed after ultimately being green-lit by a FIFA-appointed judge.

Pogba’s eventual Old Trafford exit three years later brought more public outrage as the player and his former head coach Alex Ferguson butted heads, both accusing one another of “disrespect.” The midfielder made just seven first-team appearances for the English giants and subsequently refused to extend his stay, instead joining Juventus on a free transfer. Paul Scholes coming out of retirement in January 2012 may not have helped his first-team prospects.

The devastation was immediate for United and their supporters as Pogba proceeded to dazzle in Turin. During his debut season at Juve, he made 37 appearances and scored five times, and his output grew exponentially with each passing campaign.

The 2013–14 campaign yielded 18 goal involvements and a second successive Serie A title, followed by 20 goals and 22 assists across the next two campaigns. Pogba was essential to back-to-back domestic doubles, while also a key protagonist in the journey to the 2014–15 Champions League final, where Juve were beaten by Barcelona.

Few midfielders were making a splash like Pogba, whose all-action displays for the Bianconeri had made him a bona fide superstar. He possessed a blend of power, precision and grace which is seldom seen in an individual, and an extensive highlights reel of flicks, tricks and stupendous strikes forced United to divert their attention back to their lost prodigy.

Pogba’s Record-Breaking Return

Juventus turned quite the profit of Pogba in Aug. 2016. Having enjoyed his genius for four seasons, they demanded a then record-breaking transfer fee of £89.3 million ($120.6 million at today’s rate) for his services, which United begrudgingly paid to take him back to Old Trafford.

Pogba appeared set to be a home-run swing on his return to Manchester, but José Mourinho rarely facilitated the Frenchman’s brilliance. Despite the pair initially seeing eye-to-eye, their sizeable egos soon clashed.

Always capable of dazzling on any given day, consistency was Pogba’s greatest barrier to recapturing his Juve form. Mourinho was certainly not the best manager to nurture his talent, but he still managed nine goals and six assists in his first campaign back with the Red Devils, which culminated in winning the Europa League and EFL Cup.

The next season, it was18 goal involvements, but the relationship between Pogba and Mourinho became increasingly strained. Midway through the 2018–19 campaign, Pogba was branded a “virus” by his manager and spent several matches on the bench, before Mourinho was sacked in the wake of a desperate 3–1 defeat to Liverpool.

José Mourinho and Paul Pogba — Pogba (L) and Mourinho ended as enemies. | IMAGO / DeFodi

Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s arrival, initially on an interim basis, galvanized Pogba, who quickly found some much-needed form in a more harmonious roster. That ended up being Pogba’s most productive term at United as he returned to his unstoppable, marauding best. After the managerial change, he managed 16 goal contributions in the Premier League alone—compared to only six under Mourinho.

Given how impressive Pogba had been at the 2018 World Cup with France, even scoring in the final as Les Bleus beat Croatia in Moscow to win the tournament, it was little surprise to see him conjure regular magic in a red jersey. However, his electric form wouldn’t last forever.

Despite hinting at a summer exit in 2019 after Real Madrid links had dominated much of the year, Pogba stayed put at Old Trafford. But an injury-hit season then completely robbed him of momentum, and there were similar fitness struggles in 2020–21 as he racked up just six goals in all competitions. His final season at United was also underwhelming, with a solitary strike from just 27 appearances.

The Irreversible Decline

On this occasion, United were much happier to let Pogba ghost into free agency. The player’s form no longer reflected his gargantuan wages and a return to Juventus in 2022 seemed the best decision for all parties, especially after several frustrating seasons in Manchester.

However, a disastrous comeback would unfold as Pogba suffered a knee injury just two weeks after returning to Italy, which subsequently sidelined him for several months. What ensued was an incredibly stop-start season littered with ailments, with Pogba finishing the 2022–23 term having made just 10 appearances.

Things would only go from bad to worse in Sep. 2023. After failing a drugs test, Pogba was provisionally suspended from playing soccer or training with his teammates, and a four-year ban was eventually dished out the following February. While an appeal reduced his ban to 18 months, he didn’t return to action until early 2025, by which point his Juve contract had been ripped up.

Monaco were the unfortunate suitors who decided to take a chance on Pogba in June of that year, with the commercial benefits of signing the star seemingly outweighing the risks. The reward was just a handful of appearances, though, with frequent injuries once again hampering his progress.

Ultimately, it was a dreadful deal for the Ligue 1 outfit.

What Next for Pogba?

When Pogba’s contract is officially terminated, he will be free to speak with other clubs regarding a fourth free transfer of his career. There appears unlikely to be any interested parties in Europe, however, with a move further afield probable.

Major League Soccer appears a likely destination, with the likes of Inter Miami being linked with Pogba previously. Other franchises are likely to be intrigued by a statement signing, although, rather unsurprisingly, he’s currently sidelined following a hamstring injury sustained in preseason.

If Pogba is to continue a pro career despite a relentless stream of setbacks, then MLS or the Saudi Pro League could allow him to regain some fitness and match sharpness without overloading his body. There will also be financial motivations for any such transfer.

Regardless, it’s hardly the future many would have predicted for Pogba a decade ago. It’s hard not to view much of his career as a wasted opportunity.

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