Paul Pogba Opens Up On Turbulent Relationship with Former Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed the tumultuous nature of his relationship with ex-manager José Mourinho.

Pogba Discusses Relationship With Mourinho

The French World Cup winner, who rejoined United from Juventus in 2016 for a then-world record fee, admitted that his time under Mourinho was marked by frequent disagreements and clashes.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Pogba described their relationship as “like boyfriend and girlfriend; we were breaking up and making up all the time.” He credited Mourinho with convincing him to return to Old Trafford but acknowledged that things quickly soured.

“I don’t know why it turned into a nightmare and us fighting,” Pogba explained. “Because I wasn’t fighting. I didn’t start the fight. We disagreed like managers and players do sometimes. But there’s a lot of respect from me to him.”

Throwback when this Paul Pogba & Jose Mourinho training outburst happened https://t.co/DBeBCCoqVA pic.twitter.com/eIfI3U8w2P

— 🉐 (@KobbieEra) October 16, 2024

Despite their differences, Pogba remains respectful of Mourinho and expressed a desire to sit down with him in the future to discuss their time together.

“If I see him tomorrow, it’s a big hug! But one day we will have to sit down together and discuss it,” the Frenchman said.

The midfielder’s comments shed light on the behind-the-scenes tensions that contributed to Mourinho’s eventual dismissal from United in December 2018.

When Will Pogba Play Again?

Pogba is still under contract at Juventus and is currently serving a reduced four-year doping ban. The initial ban has now been reduced to 18 months, meaning he will be eligible to play in March 2025.

Pogba, who last played for Juventus in September 2023, says he’s raring to go again after going through what he describes as the most difficult moment of his career.

“I am ready to return to normal in 2025. I only have one desire: to play football. The reality is that I am a Juve player and I am preparing to play for Juve,” Pogba told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.