French football star, Paul Pogba has revealed the devastating effects of falling into ‘depression’ at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho.
Pogba, who remains without a club but is permitted to play again after his 18-month doping ban ended in March, endured a frosty relationship with Mourinho during his stint at Old Trafford.
The sour relationship resulted in him being stripped of the vice-captaincy.
The duo were also caught on camera in the middle of an awkward training ground confrontation while Mourinho was alleged to have branded Pogba a ‘virus’ in the dressing room after a 2-2 draw with Southampton in December 2018.
Pogba recently spoke to GQ France and opened up about his time in Manchester, revealing all was clearly not well below the surface after an initial triumphant return to the club.
‘I didn’t understand. I was a player with a big role in the team, and suddenly, I found myself on the bench,’ Pogba told GQ. ‘I couldn’t speak, there was no communication.’
The 32-year-old then laid bare the impact his stress took on his body.
‘I wasn’t happy, and a football player who isn’t happy can’t perform well,’ he added.
‘I fell into depression without even realising it. Because no one teaches us what depression is. Until I started having bald spots on my scalp.
‘I didn’t understand what it was. They told me it was stress.’
Pogba also addressed the extortion case that resulted in his brother Mathias and five accomplices being given prison sentences of up to eight years. He said he was held at gunpoint in 2022 and demanded €13m (£11.1m) after being ‘tricked’.
The midfielder said he had paid the group €100,000 (£85,500) and previously admitted he had considered retiring from football altogether over the incident.
‘I hid everything about the extortion,’ Pogba said. ‘My wife didn’t know, my children didn’t know. When I got home from training, I had to play the role of father and husband. I kept it all to myself. In the end, it was eating me alive.’
Since March, Pogba has been eligible to play again after his initial four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Despite receiving offers from ‘all over’, he plans to take his time before deciding on his next destination. Pogba has been linked with Marseille and MLS outfit Inter Miami.
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