In his first in-depth interview since receiving a doping ban, Paul Pogba opened up about the emotional toll of his suspension from football and the vital role his family played in helping him cope, especially his wife.
Her unwavering support anchored
him during what he referred to as the most challenging period of his life.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, the
former Manchester United midfielder admitted
responsibility for failing to triple-check a supplement he consumed. Still, it said the punishment, initially a four-year ban, was “too much.”
He credits his wife for helping him stay mentally strong and
focused on returning to the pitch.
“My wife was like, sitting me down, and [saying] you're gonna go, you're gonna get through this, and you're gonna go and play again,” Pogba said.
“Because I was like, ‘Yeah, if it happens, what
are we gonna do? I might stop, maybe.’ She sat me down and said, ‘You're going
to play. You're going to play again. You're gonna get through this, okay?’ And
that also helped me and pushed me — truly talking.”
Pogba said that while friends and former teammates reached out with messages of support, it was his wife and children who kept him grounded.
Spending time with them helped him “stand up,” he said,
especially during days when he felt completely lost.
“Mentally, definitely, I had messages,
friends, obviously the family, obviously my wife, because I spent a lot of time
with my wife that I wasn't used to,” he told Solhekol.
“And my kids. So I'd say that was a
good part of being a real dad at home and being close to my kids,
seeing them grow every day. I really enjoyed it. And it helped me also to get
through it day by day.”
The World Cup winner described the moment he learned of the failed test as a “shocking” experience, one that led to soul-searching, prayer, and questioning everything.
In the months that
followed, he leaned on his faith and family to keep going, emotionally
distancing himself from the negativity to be “a normal person” for those around
him.
“Family was a big, big part of my mental strength, for sure,” he said.
“And obviously the faith in God that kept me…
keeping this positive mind that I always have.”
Pogba also revealed that at one point, he
considered retirement. But his wife refused to let him give in to despair.
“I took that thought and threw it away,” Pogba said.
“She didn’t let me even think about quitting.”
