Paul Pogba‘s story has always contained a certain luminosity. He dazzled as a creative force at Juventus, became the world’s most expensive player at Manchester United, and later helped France capture the 2018 World Cup. He has known unimaginable highs. Yet behind his meteoric career, a painful narrative unfolds, one where money and success have eroded family bonds.
On Thursday, a Paris court sentenced Paul’s older brother, Mathias Pogba, to three years in prison for helping orchestrate an extortion attempt against the football star. Two of those years were suspended, and he will spend the remainder under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Five others, linked by old neighborhood ties and emboldened by Paul’s status, also received prison terms, some stretching to eight years. They had demanded $13.6 million, insisting Paul owed them for so-called “protection services” provided throughout his rise.
Back in March 2022, Paul reported being ambushed by hooded men wielding firearms. He had already paid $104,000 to appease them, but the threats intensified, eventually spilling into the public sphere when Mathias posted cryptic videos online. These insinuations and half-whispered allegations hovered ominously over Paul’s professional life, even drawing in other top-tier players like Kylian Mbappé. The court eventually ordered the perpetrators to pay Paul $256,000 for financial and emotional harm.
Pogba family torn by fame and fortune
In interviews, Paul has acknowledged that money can twist loyalties into greed, turning brothers and childhood friends into strangers who feel entitled to a share of his wealth. “When there’s money, you have to be careful,” he said. “It can break up a family.” The betrayal shook him enough to consider walking away from the game altogether.
Meanwhile, Mathias maintains that he was coerced. His lawyer insists he’s innocent, arguing that the court failed to account for the manipulations behind the scenes. Yet the judges, unmoved, delivered a verdict that underscored the seriousness of the crime. Mathias plans to appeal, but the relationship between the two brothers seems irreparably damaged.
These events arrive during a turbulent moment for Paul. At 31, he’s not attached to any club. He parted ways with Juventus after battling injuries and facing a doping suspension that will sideline him until March 2025. Once courted by Europe’s elite, he’s now drifting, uncertain where his next chapter will lead. It’s a moment defined by silence and heartbreak rather than the cheers of adoring crowds.
