The French star Paul Pogba is undoubtedly among the best midfielders of this generation, possessing exceptional talent and versatility, unlike any other midfielder. His career has seen glorious highs, but it has also crashed down to a tragic downfall, potentially ending his playing career due to a doping case.
Recently, the midfielder received a four-year ban from playing by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Organization after being proven guilty of consuming a prohibited substance. However, this isn’t his first brush with controversy in Juventus player’s career. In one such notable case, Paul was the victim in a case involving his elder brother.
Paul Pogba’s brother: Who is Mathias?
Paul Pogba was born into a Guinea-French household and is the youngest of the three Pogba siblings. His two elder brothers, Mathias Pogba and Florentin Pogba, are identical twins, each three years older than Paul. Like him, both opted to pursue careers as professional footballers.
Mathias and Florentin both chose to represent, their country of ancestral origin, the Guinea national team. While Paul represented his country of birth France and won the FIFA World Cup with them in 2018.
Although Paul’s elder brother couldn’t match the success of their younger sibling, Mathias spent the majority of his career playing for lower-division English clubs as a striker, notably AFC Wrexham and Crewe Alexandra. At Wrexham, he made the most appearances for any club in his career, playing in 71 matches.
He made 227 appearances, scoring 48 goals and providing 21 assists throughout his career so far. Additionally, he has earned five international caps for the Guinea national team. Since April 2022, he has been without a professional contract following the outbreak of an extortion scandal within the Pogba family.
When Paul Pogba’s brother was imprisoned for conspiring against him
A family feud occurred in the Pogba family months after the French international moved to Juventus from Manchester United for his second stint in August 2022. Paul Pogba reportedly became the target of an extortionist group, allegedly plotted by his elder brother Mathias and childhood friends, which demanded a sum of €13 million.
An investigation was initiated after French authorities arrested Mathias in connection with the blackmailing of the Juventus midfielder, demanding money through extortion.
While in custody, he denied his role in the case and his initial bail request was denied due to threats of disclosing ‘explosive information’ about Paul.
In December 2022, finally, the authorities accepted his request, and Mathias Pogba was granted release after three months of imprisonment. Additionally, he was prohibited from contacting Paul, their mother, and other family members who were mainly involved in the case.
