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Paul Pogba Opens Up On Suffering From Depression

Paul Pogba Opens Up On Suffering From Depression

The Manchester United midfielder has opened up about his issues, starting during Jose Mourinho's reign at the club.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Paul Pogba has opened up on his mental health, revealing that he's suffered from periods of depression whilst at Manchester United.

Pogba's second spell at United has been a mixed bag at best, with the midfielder showing flashes of brilliance but not living up to his reputation or price tag.

The 29-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has now revealed that he's suffered from bouts of depression, since Jose Mourinho was at the club.

Though it was Mourinho who brought the World Cup winner back from Juventus in 2016, the pair had a huge falling out, before the manager left the club in 2018.

Now the midfielder has opened up on the fact that being dropped by the manager left him feeling depressed and he's been left questioning himself since.

"I've had depression in my career, but we don't talk about it," the France international told Le Figaro whilst on duty for Didier Deschamps team.

"Sometimes you don't know you are, you just want to isolate yourself, be alone. These are unmistakable signs.

"Personally, it started when I was with Jose Mourinho at United. You ask yourself questions, you wonder if you are at fault because you have never experienced these moments in your life.

Pogba and Mourinho had a frosty relationship at the end. Image: PA Images
Pogba and Mourinho had a frosty relationship at the end. Image: PA Images

"All top athletes go through these moments but few talk about it.

"Inevitably, you will feel it [depression] in your body, in your head, and you may have a month, even a year, where you are not well. But you don't have to say it. In any case publicly.

"We earn a lot of money and we don't complain really, but that doesn't prevent us from going through moments that are more difficult than others, like everyone else in life.

"Because you make money, you always have to be happy? It's not like that, life. But, in football, it does not pass, we are, however, not superheroes, but only human beings."

Pogba has spent a lot of time out of the team this season. Image: PA Images
Pogba has spent a lot of time out of the team this season. Image: PA Images

Mourinho made the midfielder vice captain when he first joined the club but as their relationship broke down he took it away from him.

The midfielder was then taken out of the first team, and was caught on camera in an argument with the manager at training, and famously sat out of the entire match in Jose's final match in charge, a 3-1 loss to Liverpool.

Pogba recently had his home in Manchester broken into, whilst he was with the team, becoming the latest in a long line of northern based players to suffer a similar fate.

Speaking about the incident the midfielder said, "The main thing is that my children are well.

"There were jewels from my mother, my world champion medal.

"What scared me the most was that my two children were at home with the nanny during this incident.

"She overheard everything, called my wife and security, then locked herself with the boys in a room. For several days, she was shocked."

With his contract expiring in the summer, it is expected that he will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Paul Pogba, Jose Mourinho, Manchester United, Premier League, France