Asked by RMC Before his return to competition next March, Paul Pogba revealed that he had briefly spoken with the coach of the France team.
«There is this light that comes on again. A few days ago on the FFF website, Didier Deschamps welcomed the reduction in the suspension for doping (from four years to eighteen months) of Paul Pogba, who will be able to play football again from the month of March 2025. Even if he still has a long way to go to regain his former level, the French midfielder wants to come back stronger than ever, in order to eventually find the Blues of a coach with whom he has always maintained a special relationship.
“Of course it’s a goal. As I have always said, it has always been a dream for me to play for the France team. It’s been years since I left (his last selection dates from March 2022). And you have to be ready for that too, confided the 2018 world champion to RMCin the show Generation After. There are players, very, very good players who are in this position. I have to deserve this place again. And I will do my best to come back, of course. If it can help the team and if it’s a plus, why not? You have to earn this place, of course.”
His relationship with Deschamps, “a plus” for Pogba
The “Pioche”, who hopes to get back into the rhythm of the competition under the colors of Juventus, explained that he had not yet discussed with Deschamps a possible return to Blue. However, the boss of the French team never really forgot him, even during his months of suspension far from the pitch.
“Of course, it’s always nice when you see that your coach also supports you off the field when you have problems, declared the man with 91 caps in the tricolor jersey. He did it and not just for doping, but for many other extra-sporting problems. And I also like to ask the coach for advice so we have this relationship where I can send him a message during the holidays, where I can call him and ask him for advice. It’s always good to have that relationship. (…) It was a plus for me, of course.”
And Paul Pogba revealed the message sent by Didier Deschamps, once the player’s suspension was lifted: “He told me, ‘Paul, you have to work, you have to work. When I tell you to work, it means you have to redouble your effort.’ And I told him yes, I know about it. And there you have it, you had this chance. So it’s work, work, work. And he’s absolutely right. That’s what I like, this frankness. We have this relationship where he can be frank and say ‘Boy, that’s all well and good, Paul Pogba, all that’s all well and good, you come back, they reduced you (your suspension), but you have to work , boy.”
