World Champion and French national team player Paul Pogba has admitted that people began to avoid him following a doping scandal that led to his subsequent suspension.
Pogba reflected on how this situation has given him a deeper understanding of life, stating that after his suspension, his former popularity faded away.
Pogba told ESPN:
Paul Pogba - the famous guy - is no more. People were avoiding me. I used to get invited to fashion weeks and events like that. Now they were like, 'We can’t use Pogba'. My friends weren’t ringing like the way they were ringing before.
The 31-year-old footballer tested positive for a banned substance on August 20, 2023, with non-endogenous testosterone metabolites found in his sample. In February 2024, Pogba received a four-year suspension, which was later reduced to 18 months. He is set to resume training with Juventus in January and will be allowed to participate in official matches by March.
In other news, Marseille are reportedly interested in signing the player.