History of Paul Pogba in Timeline

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Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba is a French professional footballer, primarily playing as a central midfielder. He's known for his technical skill, physical strength, and playmaking ability. Pogba gained prominence at Juventus, winning multiple Serie A titles, before a then-world record transfer to Manchester United in 2016. While at United, he won the Europa League and League Cup. He returned to Juventus in 2022 but his contract was terminated in 2024. He has also been a key player for the French national team, winning the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Pogba's career has been marked by both moments of brilliance and periods of inconsistency, making him a somewhat enigmatic figure in the world of football.

March 1993: Paul Pogba's birth

In March 1993, Paul Labile Pogba was born. He is a French professional footballer who is a free agent, primarily playing as a central midfielder.

Others born on this day/year

2006: Non-solicitation agreement

In 2006, a "non-solicitation agreement" between Le Havre and Pogba (also agreed to by his parents) was put in place until the end of the 2009-10 season, allowing Le Havre to sign Pogba to a youth contract once he met specific requirements.

2007: Joined Le Havre Youth Team

In 2007, Pogba joined the youth team of Ligue 2 side Le Havre.

September 2008: Youth international debut

In September 2008, specifically on September 23, Paul Pogba made his youth international debut for France's under-16 team, captained by him, in a match against Wales, which France won 4-2.

January 2009: First youth international goal

In January 2009, specifically on January 31, Paul Pogba scored his first youth international goal for France in the 2009 Aegean Cup Final against Norway, securing a 2-1 victory and the tournament win.

July 2009: Departure from Le Havre

On July 31, 2009, Paul Pogba announced he was departing Le Havre to join Manchester United's youth academy.

October 2009: Transfer to Manchester United Completed

On October 7, 2009, Paul Pogba completed his transfer to Manchester United. He debuted with the club's under-18 team on October 10 against Crewe Alexandra.

April 2010: Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo Title

In April 2010, Paul Pogba was a part of the under-18 team that successfully defended their title at the Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo in Bologna, Italy.

June 2010: Agreement with Manchester United

On June 18, 2010, Le Havre officials confirmed that the club had reached an agreement with Manchester United for the transfer of Paul Pogba, resolving the earlier dispute. The terms of the agreement were confidential.

October 2010: Under-18 team captaincy

In October 2010, Paul Pogba was re-instated as captain of the under-18 team by new coach Pierre Mankowski and on October 27, he debuted against Greece in Tournio de Limoges with a 4-1 victory.

November 2010: Reserve Team Debut

In November 2010, Paul Pogba was called up to Manchester United's reserve team and made his debut on November 2, 2010 in a 3–1 win over Bolton Wanderers.

January 2011: FA Youth Cup Goal

On January 10, 2011, in the FA Youth Cup, Paul Pogba scored a long-range goal in the team's 3–2 victory over Portsmouth.

February 2011: Promoted to First-Team Squad

On February 19, 2011, Paul Pogba was one of four academy players promoted to Manchester United's first-team squad by manager Alex Ferguson.

March 2011: First under-18 goal

In March 2011, specifically on March 24, Paul Pogba scored his first goal for the under-18 team in a 2-1 win over Germany with a goal from over 30 metres out.

August 2011: First Appearance in Premier Reserve League

On August 15, 2011, Paul Pogba made his first appearance of the season in the Premier Reserve League match against Arsenal. On August 25, he scored a goal against Swansea City reserves.

September 2011: Under-19 debut

In September 2011, specifically on September 6, Paul Pogba debuted with the under-19 team against Italy, assisting on two goals in a 3-1 victory.

October 2011: First Team Participation and Professional Debut

On October 25, 2011, Paul Pogba made his second appearance against Aldershot Town in the Fourth Round of the League Cup. Pogba was named to the first team to participate in their Football League Cup tie against Leeds United the following day. Pogba appeared as a half-time substitute to make his professional debut as Manchester United won the match 3–0.

January 2012: Premier League Debut

On January 31, 2012, Paul Pogba made his Premier League debut against Stoke City, replacing Javier Hernández.

February 2012: First under-19 goal

In February 2012, specifically on February 29, Paul Pogba scored his first goal for the under-19 team in a 2-1 defeat to Spain.

June 2012: Named to UEFA European Under-19 Championship squad

In June 2012, specifically on June 11, Paul Pogba was named to the squad to participate in the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, and in the opening match against Serbia, he converted a penalty in a 3-0 win.

July 2012: Departure from Manchester United

In July 2012, Alex Ferguson confirmed that Paul Pogba had left Manchester United after not signing a new contract and signed for Juventus. On July 27, Juventus confirmed that Pogba had undergone a medical at the club.

September 2012: Competitive Debut with Juventus

On September 22, 2012, Paul Pogba made his first competitive appearance with Juventus in the Serie A match against Chievo, where he played the full 90 minutes.

2012: Joined Juventus on a free transfer

In 2012, Paul Pogba joined Italian club Juventus on a free transfer after limited appearances in Manchester United.

March 2013: Senior team debut for France

In March 2013, specifically on March 22, Paul Pogba made his debut for the French senior team in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Georgia, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 win.

May 2013: Sent off in Scudetto-clinching game

On May 5, 2013, Paul Pogba was sent off in Juventus' Scudetto-clinching game for spitting towards an opponent after being slapped in the face.

August 2013: Italian Supercoppa Win

On August 18, 2013, Paul Pogba played a key role in Juventus' 4–0 win over Lazio in the 2013 Italian Supercoppa, scoring the first goal and being named Man of the Match.

September 2013: First international goal

In September 2013, specifically on September 10, Paul Pogba scored his first international goal against Belarus in a 4-2 victory during a 2014 World Cup qualifier.

2013: FIFA U-20 World Cup Victory

In 2013, Paul Pogba captained France to victory at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and was named the Best Player of the tournament.

2013: Golden Boy Award

In 2013, Pogba received the Golden Boy award.

2013: Europa League Debut

In 2013, Pogba scored his first goal in UEFA club competitions as Juventus defeated Trabzonspor 2–0 at home in the first leg of the round of 32 of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.

January 2014: Named one of the most promising young players in Europe

In January 2014, Pogba was named by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe.

June 2014: Named in France's squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup

In June 2014, specifically on June 6, Paul Pogba was named in France's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On June 15, he started in the first World Cup fixture against Honduras, suffering a foul which led to a red card for Wilson Palacios and a penalty for France.

July 2014: Named Best Young Player at World Cup

In July 2014, specifically on July 13, Paul Pogba was named the tournament's Best Young Player at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

September 2014: Assist Against Milan

On September 20, 2014, Paul Pogba contributed to Juventus's away win against Milan by providing the assist for the only goal of the game, scored by Carlos Tevez.

2014: Senior Team Debut and FIFA World Cup

In 2014, Paul Pogba debuted for the senior France team and played at the FIFA World Cup, where he was named the Best Young Player.

2014: Bravo Award

In 2014, Paul Pogba received the Bravo Award during his time in Italy.

January 2015: Pogba scores in Coppa Italia and helps Juventus beat Napoli

In January 2015, Paul Pogba helped Juventus secure their first win against Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo in 14 years, scoring a volley in a 3-1 victory. Later in January 2015, he scored his first goal in the Coppa Italia as Juventus defeated Verona 6-1 in the round of 16.

June 2015: Pogba starts in Champions League Final

On June 6, 2015, Pogba started for Juventus in the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final, but the club was defeated 3–1 by Barcelona at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

July 2015: Pogba nominated for UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

In July 2015, Paul Pogba was named to the ten-man shortlist for the 2015 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.

2015: UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA FIFPro World XI

In 2015, Pogba was named in the UEFA Team of the Year and in the FIFA FIFPro World XI.

January 2016: Pogba named to UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA FIFPro World XI

In January 2016, Pogba was named to the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year and the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI, recognizing his achievements in football.

May 2016: Named to France's Euro 2016 squad

In May 2016, Paul Pogba was named by Didier Deschamps to France's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016, to be played on home soil.

August 2016: Pogba returns to Manchester United for a record fee

On August 8, 2016, Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United on a five-year contract for a then-record football transfer fee of €105 million (£89.3 million) plus bonuses. He made his first appearance on August 19 in a 2-0 victory over Southampton.

2016: UEFA Euro Runner-Up

In 2016, Paul Pogba represented France at UEFA Euro on home soil, finishing as a runner-up.

2016: Returned to Manchester United

In 2016, Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United for a then-world record transfer fee of €105 million (£89.3 million).

January 2017: Pogba scores in EFL Cup semi-final

In January 2017, Pogba scored in a 2–1 away defeat to Hull City in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, which allowed Manchester United to advance to the final 3–2 on aggregate.

May 2017: Pogba scores game-winning goal in Europa League final

On May 24, 2017, Pogba scored in the 18th minute of the Europa League final against AFC Ajax, leading Manchester United to a 2–0 victory and their first continental trophy in nine years.

August 2017: Pogba advocates for gay footballers

In August 2017, Paul Pogba spoke about the possibility of openly gay footballers in the Premier League, stating that gay footballers should be considered "equal" and that their private lives are separate from their performance on the field.

May 2018: Named in France's squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup

In May 2018, specifically on May 17, Paul Pogba was named in the France squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

June 2018: Shot leads to winning goal against Australia

On June 16, 2018, Paul Pogba took the shot that deflected off Aziz Behich and resulted in the winning goal in France's 2–1 win over Australia in their opening match at the tournament. The goal was initially awarded to Pogba, but the following day FIFA re-awarded it as an own goal to Behich.

2018: FIFA World Cup Win

In 2018, Paul Pogba won the FIFA World Cup with France and scored in the final.

2018: Named in PFA Team of the Year

In the 2018–19 season, Paul Pogba was named in the PFA Team of the Year.

January 2019: Pogba assists and scores consecutively under Solskjær

In January 2019, under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Pogba assisted Marcus Rashford's game-winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur and scored consecutive goals in matches against Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley, marking a revival in his form.

August 2019: Pogba provides two assists and faces racist abuse

In August 2019, Pogba provided two assists in Manchester United's 4-0 win over Chelsea but later faced racist abuse on social media after missing a penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

December 2019: Pogba sidelined due to injury

In late December 2019, Pogba made two appearances from the bench against Watford and Newcastle United before suffering a second recurrence of his ankle injury, sidelining him again.

2019: End of Juventus contract

In 2014, Paul Pogba renewed his contract with Juventus, tying him to the club until 2019.

January 2020: Pogba undergoes ankle surgery

In January 2020, Paul Pogba underwent surgery on his ankle, putting him out of action for a further four to eight weeks.

May 2020: Pogba returns to play after recovery

In May 2020, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær announced that Pogba would be fit to play following the return to football. In United's first game of the restart, Pogba came on as a substitute and won a penalty, resulting in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

September 2020: Pogba scores first goal of the season

On September 30, 2020, Pogba scored his first goal of the 2020–21 season against Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

March 2021: Pogba scores winning goal against Milan in Europa League

On March 18, 2021, Paul Pogba scored the winning goal in a 1-0 away win over Milan in the UEFA Europa League round of 16.

2021: End of record transfer fee

In 2021, the transfer fee of €105 million paid for Paul Pogba in 2016 ceased to be the highest for an English club.

February 2022: Pogba scores against Burnley

His only goal of the season came in a 1–1 draw with Burnley in the Premier League on 8 February 2022.

March 2022: Pogba discusses his mental health

In March 2022, Paul Pogba revealed that he had suffered from depression while being managed by José Mourinho at Manchester United during 2018.

June 2022: Pogba leaves Manchester United

On June 1, 2022, Manchester United announced that Pogba would leave the club following the expiration of his contract.

July 2022: Pogba returns to Juventus

On July 11, 2022, Juventus announced Pogba's return on a four-year contract.

August 2022: Extortion plot investigation

In August 2022, a French investigation was opened following allegations that Paul Pogba was the victim of an extortion plot involving his childhood friends and witchcraft doctors, who demanded €13 million.

February 2023: Pogba makes second debut for Juventus

On February 28, 2023, Pogba made his first appearance of the season, and his second debut for Juventus, as a substitute in a 4–2 win over Torino.

May 2023: Pogba subbed off injured

On 14 May 2023, in a league match against Cremonese Paul Pogba received his first starting lineup nomination of the season. He had to be subbed off after only 23 minutes due to a muscle injury. Medical examinations later revealed a lesion in his left thigh, thus ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

September 2023: Pogba provisionally suspended for failing drug test

In September 2023, Paul Pogba was provisionally suspended from playing after failing a drug test, with non-endogenous testosterone found in his system following a match against Udinese on August 20.

October 2023: Drug test failure confirmed

In October 2023, it was confirmed that Paul Pogba had failed a drug test after another sample also revealed the presence of non-endogenous testosterone.

February 2024: Four-year ban for doping

On February 29, 2024, Paul Pogba received a four-year ban for doping from the Italian Anti-Doping National Tribunal, with the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

November 2024: Juventus contract termination agreement

In November 2024, specifically on November 15, Juventus announced that they had reached a mutual agreement with Pogba regarding the termination of his contract, which would take effect from November 30.

December 2024: Brother sentenced in extortion case

On December 19, 2024, Mathias Pogba, Paul's brother, was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for attempted extortion of €13 million from Paul. Five other defendants received sentences of up to eight years.