Paul Pogba has broken his silence on the well-documented deterioration of his working relationship with former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, attributing the fallout largely to the volume of media attention surrounding his injury absences and uncertain future at the club.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Pogba was candid about the circumstances that eroded what he described as an initially warm dynamic between the two men. “We were very cool at the start, sending messages and stuff like that. He’s a really funny man… really special, to be honest. And after a time, I think the injuries created that [breakdown],” Pogba said.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner rejoined Manchester United from Juventus in the summer of 2016 in a then-world-record transfer worth £89 million — a fee that still stands as the club’s most expensive signing. Mourinho was appointed United manager that same summer, meaning the two arrived at Old Trafford simultaneously. Their relationship, however, became increasingly strained as Pogba’s injury record attracted persistent scrutiny from the press.
Pogba suggested that the relentless media focus directed at Mourinho regarding his fitness and future played a significant role in souring the relationship. “When always the media ask him questions about me, maybe it makes him a bit like, ‘OK, is he done?’ And this is the problem also with me; like a lot of people, they love to ask about me. Always Paul, Paul, Paul, and that probably pissed him off,” Pogba explained.
Despite the tensions, Pogba was measured in his characterisation of the broader dynamic, emphasising a respect for coaching authority. “I don’t have any problem with any coaches. I always respect [them]. They are the boss. That’s the truth. They decide if you play or not,” he stated.
Mourinho was dismissed by Manchester United in December 2018, with the club sitting sixth in the Premier League table at the time. Pogba remained at the club following the manager’s departure, going on to serve out his contract before leaving Old Trafford for a second time in the summer of 2022 — on this occasion on a free transfer — to return to Juventus.
His second spell in Turin proved deeply troubled. A doping violation resulted in an initial four-year ban, which was subsequently reduced to 18 months on appeal. Following the conclusion of that suspension, Pogba signed a two-year deal with AS Monaco, marking his return to professional football.
The Monaco move has not been without its challenges either, with injury concerns continuing to follow Pogba into the next chapter of his career. His brother Mathias Pogba has publicly acknowledged the difficulties Paul has faced staying fit at the Ligue 1 club.
Pogba’s comments come amid a broader period of reflection for the 33-year-old, who has also recently spoken on topics including Kobbie Mainoo’s contract situation at Manchester United and the Ballon d’Or prospects of his former teammate Bruno Fernandes. The Mourinho era at Old Trafford, which spanned from May 2016 to December 2018, remains one of the more contentious chapters in the club’s recent history, yielding a League Cup and a Europa League title but falling short of restoring United to Premier League contention.
