UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba is reported to have been banned from attending the 2022 World Cup final in Doha between his nation and Argentina. Despite the footballer’s plans to attend the final, he has apparently been prohibited from entering the final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.
The ex-Manchester United player has missed out on playing for France in the tournament due to an injury he sustained after he returned to Italy to play for Juve. Though the midfield star of France’s 2018 World Cup win in Russia underwent surgery to give himself a chance to play in Qatar, it was not to be.
He has still supported his teammates throughout this year’s World Cup, issuing words of support for France on social media. In a recent video, Pogba sent out a strong message of support for his France teammates.
“Together! I am with you. I give you all my strength. All my strength has this group there. That’s my band, that’s my guys,” Pogba stated in a video posted to his Instagram profile.
Pogba Prohibited from World Cup Final
Contents
Though he has missed out on France’s attempt to secure a second consecutive World Cup title, Pogba had made plans to to attend the final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha. French president Emmanuel Macron is reported to be keen on having all the France squad’s injured players attend the final to get them behind the national team.
However, Pogba may face a major problem in wanting to head to the final. According to recent reports, his Serie A club Juventus have prohibited him from going on a long-haul flight to Qatar while he is still recovering from injury.
The star is recovering from a knee injury that has taken slower to heal than expected and he has still not trained with the team since his surgery. In order to help things along, Juventus are reluctant to let Pogba sit on a long flight in case he aggravates his injury and cannot return to play for even longer.
Pogba’s Teammate in a Similar Quandary
Pogba’s France teammate Lucas Hernandez finds himself in a similar situation. The defender endured an injury in his side’s opening fixture in Qatar and has undergone surgery for an issue with his knee. His club,German side Bayern Munich, are reported to not want the left-back to attend the Qatar final in case he makes his injury worse.
The club have apparently prevented Hernandez from flying to Qatar, a six-hour journey, which may cause a headache for the defender. His brother, Theo Hernandez, has since become France’s first-choice left-back at the tournament, with manager Didier Deschamps likely to select him again for the final.
Benzema Could Make Surprise Return
Though Pogba and Hernandez are unlikely to make the trip to Qatar given their injury situations, one player who could is Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. The forward unfortunately injured himself in training before the World Cup and has not played any part in the championship.
However, it has been rumored that he may return for the final after recovering from injury. The star is eligible to play in the final although Deschamps has refused to comment on the situation.
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!