Paul Pogba
Encyclopedia
Paul Labile Pogba is a French
footballer who plays for English
club Manchester United
in the Premier League. Of Guinea
n descent, he operates primarily as a midfielder
who is comfortable at playing both offensively and defensively. Pogba is described by his club as a "powerful, skillful, and creative" player who has "an eye for goal and a penchant for the spectacular".
Pogba started his football career playing for local amateur clubs in Paris
such as US Roissy-en-Brie and US Torcy before joining professional club Le Havre
in 2007. He played for Le Havre for two years before venturing to England
to join Manchester United in 2009. Pogba's transfer was subject to controversial debate as his former club accused the English club of tapping up the player.
Pogba is a French youth international
having represented his nation at all levels for which he has been eligible. With the under-16 team, he captained his nation to victories at the Aegean Cup and the Tournoi du Val-de-Marne and, at under-17 level, played at the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
.
, a commune
in the eastern suburbs of Paris
, to Guinea
n parents. He has two older brothers who are also footballers. Florentin
, the eldest, currently plays for Sedan
in France, while Mathías plays for Welsh club Wrexham after successfully trialling
in August 2010. Florentin was previously a member of the Guinea national team
and made an appearance with the team in a friendly match in August 2010. In June 2011, he began representing France
at youth level and currently plays on the under-21 team
.
. In his second season at the club, Pogba captained its under-16 team to the final phase of its domestic league, the Championnat National des 16 ans. Le Havre finished second to Lens
in the final group phase finishing ahead of the likes of Lyon
and Nancy
. Pogba also established himself as a youth international for his country. His performances domestically and internationally led to interest from English
clubs Arsenal
and Liverpool
, as well as Italian
club Juventus
.
of Manchester United
in England
. The move stunned his parent club as it allegedly had a "non-solicitation agreement" with Pogba, which was agreed to by not only the player, but also his parents in 2006. The agreement, which was in place until the end of the 2009–10 season
, allowed Le Havre to signed Pogba to an aspirant (youth) contract once the player met specific age and scholarship requirements. On 1 August, Le Havre released an official statement on its website criticizing Manchester United and the Pogba family. Le Havre also announced its intent to ask FIFA
to probe the situation.
In response to Le Havre's accusations, Manchester United threatened to sue the club, while Pogba denied he was leaving Le Havre for monetary reasons, which Le Havre president Jean-Pierre Louvel had alleged to be £87,000 and a house. Le Havre was also accused by Pogba's former club Torcy of using the same tactics it purported Manchester United to have used when the club acquired Pogba from its youth academy. On the same day of Pogba's announcement to depart for England
, Torcy released a press release on its official website criticizing Le Havre's accusations stating "We will not use the term "steal", but the recruiters of Le Havre acted the same way with the club in Torcy". The club cited Le Havre's acceptance of allowing Pogba to sign an amateur license with the club without notifying Torcy as its primary reason why. On 7 October, Manchester United were cleared of wrongdoing by a judge appointed by FIFA with the judge declaring that Pogba was not contractually linked to Le Havre. Despite having the option to appeal, on 18 June 2010, Le Havre officials confirmed that the club had reached an agreement with Manchester United for the transfer of Pogba. The terms of the agreement are confidential.
with 19 starts and seven goals. The team finished first in its group, but lost 5–3 on penalties
to the Arsenal Academy
in the semi-final playoffs. In April 2010, Pogba was a part of the under-18 team that successfully defended its title at the Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo in Bologna
, Italy. In the 2010–11 season
, Pogba remained on the club's academy team in the Premier Academy League
and played with the team during the first three months of the season. In November 2010, he was called up to the club's reserve team
and made his debut on 2 November 2010 in a 3–1 win over Bolton
. On 10 January 2011, in the FA Youth Cup
, Pogba scored a long-range goal, described as "a real screamer", in the team's 3–2 victory over Portsmouth
. The win allowed the team to progress to the fourth round of the competition. A month later, Pogba scored a similar goal in a 3–2 defeat to West Brom
in the Academy League.
On 19 February 2011, Pogba was one of four academy players that earned a promotion to the first-team squad by manager
Alex Ferguson
ahead of Manchester United's FA Cup
fifth round match against Crawley Town
. Pogba was assigned the number 42 shirt. He failed to appear in the match and later made the bench in the team's 22 February league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers
, but, for the second consecutive time, did not make an appearance. Pogba ultimately finished the campaign with no senior team appearances. After the match against Wolverhampton, Pogba returned to amateur level to continue contesting matches in the FA Youth Cup. In the team's two-legged semi-final encounter against Chelsea in the competition, Pogba converted a goal in the first leg, a 3–2 defeat, and provided the assist on the opening goal in the second leg, a 4–0 win. In the final of the competition, Manchester United defeated Sheffield United
6–3 on aggregate to win its 10th Youth Cup title. Pogba started and played the entire match in both legs.
Ahead of the start of the 2011–12 season
, Ferguson confirmed that Pogba will feature with the senior team during the season stating "I mean if we hold Pogba back, what’s going to happen? He’s going to leave. You know, in a couple of years’ time when his contract is going to finish. So we have to give him the opportunity to see how he can do in the first-team and he’s got great ability". Pogba was promoted to the club's reserve team
permanently for the 2011–12 season and made his season debut on 15 August 2011 in the team's opening Premier Reserve League match against Arsenal
. On 25 August, in a team's second league match against the Swansea City
reserves, Pogba scored the second goal for the team in a 6–0 rout. On 19 September, he was named to the first-team to participate in the team's Football League Cup
tie against Leeds United
that was played on the following day with Ferguson proclaiming that "I intend to play him [Pogba] against Leeds United". Pogba, subsequently, made his professional debut in the match appearing as a half-time substitute. Manchester United won the match 3–0. Pogba made his second appearance against Aldershot Town
in the Fourth Round of the League Cup on 25 October 2011.
and has earned caps at all levels for which he has been eligible. Prior to his international debut, Pogba was named captain of the under-16 team by coach Guy Ferrier. He made his youth international debut on 23 September 2008 in the team's opening match of the campaign against Wales
in Llanelli
. France won the match 4–2. Under Pogba's leadership, the team recorded impressive victories over Uruguay
and Italy
in the Tournoi du Val-de-Marne
, and defeated the Republic of Ireland
by a combined score of 8–2 over the course of two matches. On 31 January 2009, he scored his first youth international goal in the 2009 Aegean Cup Final against Norway
. The goal gave France a 1–0 lead and the team won the match 2–1 to win the tournament. Pogba finished the under-16 campaign with 17 appearances and one goal.
For his role in allegedly breaking his contractual agreement with Le Havre, Pogba was suspended from international duty by the French Football Federation
for six months. As a result, Pogba was stripped of the captaincy and made his debut with the under-17 team late in the campaign on 13 February 2010 against England
at the Algarve Cup
. He was a part of the team that played at the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
scoring both of his goals with the team at the tournament. He scored the only goal in the team's 1–0 victory over Portugal
in the group stage and netted his second in the team's 2–1 loss to England in the semi-finals. Following the departure of Ferrier as the team's youth international coach, Pogba was re-instated as captain at his age level by new coach Pierre Mankowski. Mankowski had previously been the assistant manager of the senior national team
under the reign of Raymond Domenech
. Pogba made his under-18 debut on 27 October 2010 at the Tournio de Limoges against Greece
in a 4–1 victory. On 24 March 2011, Pogba scored his first goal with the team netting the game-winning goal in a 2–1 win over Germany. The goal was scored from over 30 metres (32.8 yd) out.
Pogba made his debut with the under-19 team
in its first match of the season against Italy
on 6 September 2011. In the match, he assisted on two goals, scored by Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
and Anthony Koura
, in a 3–1 victory.
Statistics accurate as of match played 30 November 2011
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
footballer who plays for English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the Premier League. Of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n descent, he operates primarily as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who is comfortable at playing both offensively and defensively. Pogba is described by his club as a "powerful, skillful, and creative" player who has "an eye for goal and a penchant for the spectacular".
Pogba started his football career playing for local amateur clubs in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
such as US Roissy-en-Brie and US Torcy before joining professional club Le Havre
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
in 2007. He played for Le Havre for two years before venturing to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to join Manchester United in 2009. Pogba's transfer was subject to controversial debate as his former club accused the English club of tapping up the player.
Pogba is a French youth international
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
having represented his nation at all levels for which he has been eligible. With the under-16 team, he captained his nation to victories at the Aegean Cup and the Tournoi du Val-de-Marne and, at under-17 level, played at the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout Map:-Semifinals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:6 goals Francisco Alcácer3 goals Connor Wickham Gerard Deulofeu Artun Akçakin2 goals Ross Barkley Anthony Koura Paul Pogba Yaya Sanogo Ricardo Esgaio...
.
Personal life
Pogba, was born on 15 March 1993 in Lagny-sur-MarneLagny-sur-Marne
Lagny-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France from the center of Paris....
, a commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the eastern suburbs of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, to Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n parents. He has two older brothers who are also footballers. Florentin
Florentin Pogba
Florentin Pogba is a French-Guinean football defender currently playing for Sedan in the Ligue 2.-Early career:Florentin began his youth career playing for several club in Île-de-France. He came to the attention of Spanish side Celta Vigo and was signed by them in 2007...
, the eldest, currently plays for Sedan
CS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...
in France, while Mathías plays for Welsh club Wrexham after successfully trialling
Evaluation
Evaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
in August 2010. Florentin was previously a member of the Guinea national team
Guinea national football team
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976...
and made an appearance with the team in a friendly match in August 2010. In June 2011, he began representing France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
at youth level and currently plays on the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
.
Early career
Pogba began his football career at age six playing for US Roissy-en-Brie, a few miles south of his hometown. He spent seven seasons at the club before joining US Torcy where he served as captain of the club's under-13 team. After one season with Torcy, Pogba joined professional club Le HavreLe Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
. In his second season at the club, Pogba captained its under-16 team to the final phase of its domestic league, the Championnat National des 16 ans. Le Havre finished second to Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
in the final group phase finishing ahead of the likes of Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy
The Olympique Lyonnais Reserves & Academy are the reserve team and academy of French club Olympique Lyonnais. The reserves squad play in the Championnat de France amateur division, the fourth division of French football and the highest division the team is allowed to participate in. Lyon have won...
and Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
. Pogba also established himself as a youth international for his country. His performances domestically and internationally led to interest from English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clubs Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, as well as Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
.
Departure to Manchester United
On 31 July 2009, Pogba announced that he was departing Le Havre to join the youth academyManchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy
Manchester United Football Club Reserves are the reserve team of Manchester United F.C. They play in the North section of the Premier Reserve League. They have been champions four times since the league's inauguration in 1999; in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010...
of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The move stunned his parent club as it allegedly had a "non-solicitation agreement" with Pogba, which was agreed to by not only the player, but also his parents in 2006. The agreement, which was in place until the end of the 2009–10 season
2009–10 in French football
The 2009–10 season was the 77th season of competitive professional football in France.The season began on 7 August 2009 for the Championnat National and Ligue 2 and on 8 August for Ligue 1 and the Championnat de France amateur...
, allowed Le Havre to signed Pogba to an aspirant (youth) contract once the player met specific age and scholarship requirements. On 1 August, Le Havre released an official statement on its website criticizing Manchester United and the Pogba family. Le Havre also announced its intent to ask FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
to probe the situation.
In response to Le Havre's accusations, Manchester United threatened to sue the club, while Pogba denied he was leaving Le Havre for monetary reasons, which Le Havre president Jean-Pierre Louvel had alleged to be £87,000 and a house. Le Havre was also accused by Pogba's former club Torcy of using the same tactics it purported Manchester United to have used when the club acquired Pogba from its youth academy. On the same day of Pogba's announcement to depart for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Torcy released a press release on its official website criticizing Le Havre's accusations stating "We will not use the term "steal", but the recruiters of Le Havre acted the same way with the club in Torcy". The club cited Le Havre's acceptance of allowing Pogba to sign an amateur license with the club without notifying Torcy as its primary reason why. On 7 October, Manchester United were cleared of wrongdoing by a judge appointed by FIFA with the judge declaring that Pogba was not contractually linked to Le Havre. Despite having the option to appeal, on 18 June 2010, Le Havre officials confirmed that the club had reached an agreement with Manchester United for the transfer of Pogba. The terms of the agreement are confidential.
Manchester United
Pogba completed his transfer to Manchester United on 6 October 2009 and made his debut with the club's under-18 team on 10 October against Crewe Alexandra in a 2–1 defeat. He finished the 2009–10 under-18 campaign2009–10 Premier Academy League
The 2009–10 Premier Academy League Under–18 season is the thirteenth edition since the establishment of The Premier Academy League, and the sixth under the current make-up....
with 19 starts and seven goals. The team finished first in its group, but lost 5–3 on penalties
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
to the Arsenal Academy
Arsenal F.C. Academy
Arsenal Football Club Academy are the youth team of Arsenal Football Club. They currently play in the FA Premier Academy League, the highest level of youth football in England...
in the semi-final playoffs. In April 2010, Pogba was a part of the under-18 team that successfully defended its title at the Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Italy. In the 2010–11 season
2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
, Pogba remained on the club's academy team in the Premier Academy League
Premier Academy League
The Premier Academy League is the top level of youth football in England. It is contested between the Academy sides of The Premier League and some Football League clubs, including Welsh side Cardiff City...
and played with the team during the first three months of the season. In November 2010, he was called up to the club's reserve team
Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy
Manchester United Football Club Reserves are the reserve team of Manchester United F.C. They play in the North section of the Premier Reserve League. They have been champions four times since the league's inauguration in 1999; in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010...
and made his debut on 2 November 2010 in a 3–1 win over Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. On 10 January 2011, in the FA Youth Cup
2010–11 FA Youth Cup
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON 2010–11 was the 59th edition of the FA Youth Cup. 460 clubs were initially accepted, with 53 teams being new entries....
, Pogba scored a long-range goal, described as "a real screamer", in the team's 3–2 victory over Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. The win allowed the team to progress to the fourth round of the competition. A month later, Pogba scored a similar goal in a 3–2 defeat to West Brom
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in the Academy League.
On 19 February 2011, Pogba was one of four academy players that earned a promotion to the first-team squad by manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
ahead of Manchester United's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
fifth round match against Crawley Town
Crawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
. Pogba was assigned the number 42 shirt. He failed to appear in the match and later made the bench in the team's 22 February league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, but, for the second consecutive time, did not make an appearance. Pogba ultimately finished the campaign with no senior team appearances. After the match against Wolverhampton, Pogba returned to amateur level to continue contesting matches in the FA Youth Cup. In the team's two-legged semi-final encounter against Chelsea in the competition, Pogba converted a goal in the first leg, a 3–2 defeat, and provided the assist on the opening goal in the second leg, a 4–0 win. In the final of the competition, Manchester United defeated Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
6–3 on aggregate to win its 10th Youth Cup title. Pogba started and played the entire match in both legs.
Ahead of the start of the 2011–12 season
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
, Ferguson confirmed that Pogba will feature with the senior team during the season stating "I mean if we hold Pogba back, what’s going to happen? He’s going to leave. You know, in a couple of years’ time when his contract is going to finish. So we have to give him the opportunity to see how he can do in the first-team and he’s got great ability". Pogba was promoted to the club's reserve team
Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy
Manchester United Football Club Reserves are the reserve team of Manchester United F.C. They play in the North section of the Premier Reserve League. They have been champions four times since the league's inauguration in 1999; in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010...
permanently for the 2011–12 season and made his season debut on 15 August 2011 in the team's opening Premier Reserve League match against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C. Reserves
Arsenal Reserves are the reserve team of Arsenal Football Club.They have been members of the FA Premier Reserve League Southern Division since its foundation in 1999. They play their home games at Underhill Stadium, which is also the home of Barnet FC. The team mainly consists of Under-21 players...
. On 25 August, in a team's second league match against the Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
reserves, Pogba scored the second goal for the team in a 6–0 rout. On 19 September, he was named to the first-team to participate in the team's Football League Cup
2011–12 Football League Cup
The 2011–12 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, is the 52nd season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs...
tie against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
that was played on the following day with Ferguson proclaiming that "I intend to play him [Pogba] against Leeds United". Pogba, subsequently, made his professional debut in the match appearing as a half-time substitute. Manchester United won the match 3–0. Pogba made his second appearance against Aldershot Town
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
in the Fourth Round of the League Cup on 25 October 2011.
International career
Pogba is a French youth internationalFrance national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
and has earned caps at all levels for which he has been eligible. Prior to his international debut, Pogba was named captain of the under-16 team by coach Guy Ferrier. He made his youth international debut on 23 September 2008 in the team's opening match of the campaign against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
. France won the match 4–2. Under Pogba's leadership, the team recorded impressive victories over Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in the Tournoi du Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne is a French department, named after the Marne River, located in the Île-de-France region. The department is situated to the southeast of the city of Paris.- Geography :...
, and defeated the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
by a combined score of 8–2 over the course of two matches. On 31 January 2009, he scored his first youth international goal in the 2009 Aegean Cup Final against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
. The goal gave France a 1–0 lead and the team won the match 2–1 to win the tournament. Pogba finished the under-16 campaign with 17 appearances and one goal.
For his role in allegedly breaking his contractual agreement with Le Havre, Pogba was suspended from international duty by the French Football Federation
French Football Federation
The French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
for six months. As a result, Pogba was stripped of the captaincy and made his debut with the under-17 team late in the campaign on 13 February 2010 against England
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
at the Algarve Cup
Algarve Cup
The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...
. He was a part of the team that played at the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout Map:-Semifinals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:6 goals Francisco Alcácer3 goals Connor Wickham Gerard Deulofeu Artun Akçakin2 goals Ross Barkley Anthony Koura Paul Pogba Yaya Sanogo Ricardo Esgaio...
scoring both of his goals with the team at the tournament. He scored the only goal in the team's 1–0 victory over Portugal
Portugal national under-17 football team
The Portugal national under-17 football team represents Portugal in international football at this age level and is controlled by Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, the governing body for football in Portugal.-FIFA U-17 World Cup Championship Record:...
in the group stage and netted his second in the team's 2–1 loss to England in the semi-finals. Following the departure of Ferrier as the team's youth international coach, Pogba was re-instated as captain at his age level by new coach Pierre Mankowski. Mankowski had previously been the assistant manager of the senior national team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
under the reign of Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...
. Pogba made his under-18 debut on 27 October 2010 at the Tournio de Limoges against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in a 4–1 victory. On 24 March 2011, Pogba scored his first goal with the team netting the game-winning goal in a 2–1 win over Germany. The goal was scored from over 30 metres (32.8 yd) out.
Pogba made his debut with the under-19 team
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
in its first match of the season against Italy
Italy national under-19 football team
The Italy national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, held every year....
on 6 September 2011. In the match, he assisted on two goals, scored by Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He is described as a player who is "very fast with both feet" and is a good striker of the ball. Despite beginning his career as a striker, he plays primarily as a winger...
and Anthony Koura
Anthony Koura
Anthony Koura is a French football player who currently plays for French club Le Mans in Ligue 2. He plays as a striker and is a France youth international having earned caps at all levels for which he has been eligible for. With the under-17 team, Koura played at the 2010 UEFA European Under-17...
, in a 3–1 victory.
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | OtherIncludes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... |
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
2010–11 2010–11 Manchester United F.C. season The 2010–11 season was Manchester United's 19th season in the Premier League, and their 36th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Manchester United F.C. season The 2011–12 season is Manchester United's 20th season in the Premier League, and their 37th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. United are defending Premier League champions, and will be aiming for an unprecedented 20th league title this season. Furthermore, they are competing... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Career total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Statistics accurate as of match played 30 November 2011