Pogba’s career ends with the saddest chapter as ex-Man Utd star was a product of his environment

So that’s the end, is it? A rather mundane Thursday in the world of football sprang to life with the news that Paul Pogba had been handed a four-year ban for a doping offence. The Juventus and French midfielder will appeal but, as things stand, it looks like a sad ending to one of the stranger careers, in which he became an embodiment of the modern game.

Pogba, who said he is “sad, shocked and heartbroken” by the decision, tested positive for testosterone after Juve’s 3-0 win at Udinese on August 20th and was then provisionally suspended in September by Italy’s national anti-doping body, Nado Italia, at a tribunal.

It is just the latest in a litany of controversies that have blighted and followed him throughout his career.

At 16, the precocious young Pogba joined Manchester United from Le Havre’s academy, but not before the French club asked FIFA to probe the transfer, as well as criticising the player’s family and the Old Trafford club. Both were cleared of any wrongdoing but it set the tone.

After settling down in the North West of England, he became one of the stars of United’s 2011 FA Youth Cup-winning side alongside Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrsion, who was even more highly rated than the Frenchman.

It seemed clear that Pogba would soon find his way into the first-team and, at the time, United really needed a revamp in the centre of the park. However, a combination of limited playing time (Rafael Da Silva being over him for a 3-2 home loss against Blackburn was a misstep) and the influence of his now-agent, Mino Raiola, led to his exit on a free transfer.

Sir Alex Ferguson blamed the Italian for most of the situation, claiming that the two were like “oil and water” as well as labelling him “a bad agent, a sh*t bag” and likely worse behind closed doors.

Pogba was not spared of criticism, called out by legendary manager for his apparent disrespect and told that if he was to act that way, it was better away from his club.

It’s one of the flashpoints in a career of many. What if he had turned away Raiola and stuck with Fergie? United did fall into chaos a year later after his retirement, so it’s even harder to predict.

He absolutely thrived at Juventus during his first stint too, settling into a midfield alongside Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo, who gave him the platform to play his football, one without much defensive responsibility.

Team and individual honours followed, as Juventus continued their domination of Italian football and Pogba became one of the next-gen global superstars – 2013 Golden Boy, 2014 World Cup Young Player, 2015 UEFA and FIFPro Team of the Year et al.

It was obvious that he would move on to one of the so-called bigger teams in the bigger leagues, chiefly the big two in Spain or an unlikely return to United.

That unlikely return eventually came to be in 2016, which perhaps was an indication of Fergie’s dwindling influence post-retirement and Ed Woodward’s position as Glazer Stooge No. 1.

Jose Mourinho may have wanted Pogba to be his midfield lynchpin, but the money men at Old Trafford undoubtedly saw him as more of a promotional tool than player, more brand than boy wonder and more marketing than man.

The Stormzy launch video, the dabs and the #PogBack tweets painted a picture of a club that had fully lost its way at this point.

Pogba’s first season back in the team was one of ups and downs but did end with two trophies – he scored the opening goal in the 2-0 Europa League final win over Ajax. Again, though one of the abiding memories of his re-debut season was for all the wrong reasons.

In January 2017, he became the first player to have his own emoji on Twitter, which, of course, United promoted as much as they could, even on the advertising boardings at their game vs Liverpool in the middle of the month.

That was all well and good, but it didn’t overshadow Pogba giving away a needless penalty in the game. The following day, he launched his own clothing line with Adidas – you can only imagine what Mourinho and Ferguson were thinking. Focus, mentality etc etc.

Pogba’s second season saw the scrutiny increase as he looked to fulfil that mammoth £89 million world record fee (few baulked at it in 2016), his relationship with his manager began to sour, and more and more drama.

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He was not selected to start in either tie of United’s Champions League last 16 clash with Sevilla, with a young Scott McTominay instead being picked for the away game. United crashed out but Mourinho had made his point, perhaps wanting Pogba to fall in line and fall away from Raiola.

That was never going to happen, with the Italian agent not one to back down and also a father-figure to the French midfielder.

The Manchester Derby in April 2018 perhaps best encapsulated his six-year second stint at United. In the build-up to the game, Pep Guardiola shockingly claimed that Pogba had been offered to City by Raiola in January – it was denied at the time but appears to be the truth now.

With a storm brewing, most players would have kept their head down. Pogba? He kept his head up, with some blue hair dye to boot. Pinning his true colours to the mast or playing along with the drama? Who knows, but he displayed his obvious talent in the game regardless.

His two goals spearheaded United’s comeback victory from 2-0 down, and could have been a turning point for both player and manager.

Instead, it was as good as it got, as was 2018 as a whole. Pogba scaled the highest heights, winning the World Cup and playing some of his best football alongside Blaise Matuidi and N’Golo Kante (in full three lung form) in the process.

That midfield dynamic never came to be for him at Old Trafford, which further pointed to a wayward transfer policy and club – he flourished in a high quality three for both country and Juventus, why couldn’t United do the same?

In the weeks after the final and in the leadup to the 2018/19 season, Mourinho made his latest attempt at refocusing Pogba, discussing in an interview how the World Cup provided a “perfect habitat” for the player, away from all the distractions that were steadily increasing.

The final roll of the dice, which included Pogba being handed the vice-captaincy, did not come up trumps.

Player and manager had a very public spat on the training ground in front of the Sky cameras (no doubt Mourinho knew this), and eventually it, and many other issues, led to the Portuguese boss leaving in December of that season.

Like many of the players “freed” from the Mourinho shackles, Pogba enjoyed some of his best form for United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim reign. However, the sunshine and rainbows era would not last for the team or Pogba, as Raiola continued to look for a move away for his client, all of which was played out publicly.

On the eve of a crucial European game with RB Leipzig in December 2020, the agent claimed Pogba was “unhappy” and wanted out of United as soon as possible, providing a majorly unwanted side story and storm over the entire build-up.

The team crashed out and, for many, it was the final straw for the player at the club. He lasted another 18 months of constant rumours and noise before eventually departing.

There were also four assists vs Leeds on the opening day of his final season (2021/22) and a red card 15 minutes after coming on in the generational 5-0 home loss to Liverpool – a nice summary of his time at the club, at least on the pitch.

A return to Juventus on a free transfer was meant to be another rebirth for the player, but instead, it kickstarted the saddest chapter of the entire story. The death of Raiola in April 2022 must have been heartbreaking, and, for all his supposed misdoings, took away Pogba’s protector.

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Having already suffered a torn meniscus in pre-season that would rule him out of the World Cup, reports came out in August 2022 stating that he had been the victim of an extortion plot involving his brother Mathias, childhood friends and a witch doctor.

Pogba told French police that he had been physically trapped by those “friends” and “two gunmen” asked him for millions for apparent past services.

What that did for the emotional and mental health of the person underneath the player is unknown, but one can only sympathise with the turmoil that engulfed his personal life, while his professional career was also falling apart.

Pogba’s body began to give up on him, with that meniscus injury being followed by issues with hamstring, groin, abductor and undoubtedly other areas. He played just 10 games last season for Juve, with a single start and no goals.

Only 52 minutes came this season before the news broke of his doping offence, and it was one that left so many questions and few answers.

Was he given the wrong supplements? Was there tampering or contamination? Was it a last, desperate effort to fix his body and play again? Was it a response to everything that had gone on his personal life?

Whatever it was, it is likely to signal the end of his career – one that reached some of the highest heights but will always be left with a feeling of what might have been for a player that, for all his failings, was a product of his environment.