Pogba: I miss football a lot; I need to prove myself to return to the French team in the future

In an interview with *L'Équipe*, Paul Pogba reflected on his time away from football due to his suspension. He expressed that while it was a difficult period, he now sees hope. During his suspension, he felt lost, but his love for football remained undiminished, and he now cherishes the sport even more. At home, he played football with friends and actively watched and analyzed games to prepare for his return.

All signs point to you becoming a footballer again, right?
Pogba: “Certainly. We were once in a dark abyss. This process was very tough for me. But now the facts have emerged, and there is indeed a glimmer of hope.”

Did you feel like a footballer during the suspension?
Pogba: “I was in a state of limbo. Nothing was under my control. I felt very lost. I didn’t know how to position myself. When you're suspended, they take everything from you—everything you could do. Honestly, at that time, I felt like I was no longer a footballer. I was in a state of pause. I still felt like a footballer, but the situation was real.”

Did you miss football?
Pogba: “Very much.”

During this time, did you play football like you did as a child?
Pogba: “(Laughs) Of course! At home, outdoors, whenever friends were around, we’d grab a ball and play. My love for football has never changed—it has only grown stronger. I now appreciate more what I do—playing football and enjoying the game. I kept watching matches. I’m a bit of an analyst (laughs). Seriously though, I really did watch matches. Football is constantly evolving, and I want to learn. I analyzed games—my team’s matches and the French national team’s matches—so I’d know how to improve when I return.”

Did you notice any players who impressed you?
Pogba: “Lamine Yamal. What shocked me during the Euros was that he was still doing homework during the tournament. But in reality, it's all beautiful! It's something everyone dreams of. I was happy for him, though I wasn’t pleased when he scored against France in the semifinals. But for football, it’s good.”

How have you changed during this time?
Pogba: “I feel like I’ve aged ten years, as I often say. I’ve seen the true face of life. This changes a lot. People no longer look at you the same way. You don’t receive the same messages, the same calls... You focus on what really matters.”

Did you realize who your true friends are?
Pogba: “(Thinks) Yes. Yes. What is a ‘friend’? ‘Friend’ is a big word. Now I know I have some friends who like me for who I am, not because of the version of me they see on social media or in ads. You can tell who cares about you, whether during your glory days or when you're going through tough times. I’ve really grown from this. However, I don’t feel upset about it. On the contrary, I look at it positively. It opened my eyes to the people around me. It also gave me the chance to spend time with my family and kids and fully take on the role of a father in my household. When you're a footballer, you don’t always have that time. And if I’ve been able to maintain this drive and strength, it’s because my wife, kids, and family are by my side.”

Recently, you said that someone took away 18 months of your football career. Do you hold a grudge against anyone?
Pogba: “Well… I have resentment… Today, sitting here in front of you, I feel at peace. But six months ago, that wasn’t the case. Sometimes I was angry. I’d think, ‘This isn’t the life I should be living!’ But I also bear some responsibility. I admit that.”

Was it due to negligence? Or trusting too many people?
Pogba: “It was a bit of both, not just in the case of the doping allegations. I have one flaw—I’m too open. You trust professionals you like. You think, ‘Why check something again when it’s already been checked once?’ But no, I don’t blame anyone. This is a lesson I won’t forget. It made me grow.”

Are you disappointed in yourself?
Pogba: “Yes, disappointed. This isn’t me. None of this was intentional. These are things you think will never happen. I’ve always been professional and transparent.”

But your character hasn’t been questioned. It’s more about you trusting someone who might not have known better.
Pogba: “(Interrupts) Or a professional. It’s made me realize that even professionals can make mistakes.”


During this suspension, when was the most difficult time for you mentally?
Pogba: “The hardest part was understanding why this happened to me. If you don’t have faith, it’s hard. You ask yourself when all this will end. When you have faith, you keep believing in what you can’t see. That’s what kept me going.”

You will be allowed to train before being reinstated to play. How have you stayed in shape in the meantime?
Pogba: “I trained as if I was still with the club. It’s just that I wasn’t there physically (laughs). I traveled a lot recently, took some time to relax. That helped me clear my mind. But I had to keep training, and I did. I continued training without knowing what the future held, with no finish line. Now, I have a goal. That’s the good part. I know I need to be ready for team training.”

Recently, your coach Motta spoke about you in the past tense, saying you ‘used to be a great player.’ Did that hurt you?
Pogba: “It’s painful, of course. It suggests that I’m finished, that I’m no longer a footballer, that my career is over. I don’t think that’s what he meant. He’s now the coach at Juventus. I haven’t had the chance to meet him face-to-face yet.”

Will you meet him?
Pogba: “Why not? If possible, yes. But I’m still suspended, so there are things I can and can’t do. Afterward, I think we’ll talk. No matter what happens, I’m part of Juventus. I don’t mind what he said. I continue my training, and I want to be a footballer again.”

During this time, Deschamps has shown unwavering support for you. How do you feel about that?
Pogba: “It touched me. Seeing my coach support and believe in me made me feel very grateful. We have a very, very good relationship. We can speak openly with each other. I was completely honest with him. I told him the truth. Deschamps was one of the people who helped me get through this time. There were others too, like Drogba. I’ve also been able to talk with Ibrahimović. I had conversations with Cristiano Ronaldo too. They know the kind of person I am, and they all told me to hold my head high. That made me happy.”

In 2026, you’ll be 33. Is the World Cup in your plans?
Pogba: “Playing in the World Cup is a dream. I’ve lived that dream and won it. But it requires hard work. It requires effort. By March, it will have been a year and a half since I played in an official match (since Juventus’ 2-0 win over Empoli on September 3rd). I need to work hard to regain my position. Returning to the French national team is a goal, of course, but I have to be realistic. Today, I’m not playing. I need to prove that I deserve that spot.”

Do you need to be playing for a European club to be in the French team?
Pogba: “No. Historically, no.”

There seems to be only one exception.
Pogba: “Who’s that?”

Kanté.
Pogba: “(He pauses for a few seconds before responding) And Gignac, right? (who made 15 appearances for the French national team after joining Mexico’s Tigres in July 2015).”

So, two exceptions.
Pogba: “No, that doesn’t mean anything. It’s just to answer your question—no, you don’t necessarily need to be playing for a European club to be in the French team.”

Have you thought about your club future? When you hear your friend Evra say Marseille should sign you…
Pogba: “(Interrupts) But that’s Evra talking! He’s obviously joking. He knows I’m still under contract with Juventus. Throughout my career, there have always been rumors about me joining Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid. That’s nothing new. I’ve always been professional, and I respect the club I’m under contract with. My heart is with Juventus.”

Two years ago, in an interview with Al Jazeera, you said, ‘Today I can be a champion, but later... I'm finished, I’m dead.’ Can the reverse be true?
Pogba: “Without a doubt. But what makes a player a superstar? It’s people’s judgments and media narratives. It doesn’t depend entirely on you. You need to have that humility and be content with doing what you love. People will give you a status—it might be very high, but they can also quickly bring it down. You need to be aware