Who is Mathias Pogba?
Mathias, 32, is Paul’s eldest (29) and Florentin’s twin. Like his brothers, the native of Conakry (Guinea) embarked on a very winding professional career, with 13 clubs in 13 years, landing in 2021 in Belfort (N2, 4th division) where he did not leave a memory. imperishable, playing only twelve matches. “We can talk about a casting error”, recognized Jean-Paul Simon, the president of the club, last April in the columns of the Est Républicain. In recent months, Mathias Pogba has also been one of the regular columnists for the television program “L’Équipe du soir”, on the L’Equipe channel. The Pogba clan has so far seemed extremely united, very often appearing together on social networks. Mathias and Florentin and their mother, Yeo Moriba, attend French team matches very regularly. Paul Pogba is also one of the main donors of Mathias’ association, “48 H POUR”.
What did Mathias Pogba say?
The case starts on Saturday evening with the publication on social networks of an enigmatic video of Mathias Pogba, recorded in four languages (French, English, Italian, Spanish). He announces that he wants to make “big revelations” soon about his brother Paul and his representative Rafaela Pimenta, who has just taken over as head of the football agent company of Mino Raiola, who recently died. Reading a text in front of the camera, he affirms that “the whole world”, the “sponsors” and Juventus Turin “deserve to know certain things in order to decide in full knowledge of the facts if he (Paul) really deserves admiration, the respect, his place in the France team, if he is a trustworthy person”. “All this risks being explosive”, he concludes, without further details on the nature of his “revelations”.
What does the Paul Pogba clan say?
Paul Pogba’s advisers reacted on Sunday by publishing a press release, denouncing “extortion attempts in an organized gang” against the player. “Mathias Pogba’s recent statements on social networks are unfortunately not a surprise”, they indicate, specifying that “the competent authorities in Italy and France were seized a month ago”. According to France Info, Paul Pogba claims that he was asked for the sum of 13 million euros, and that one of his relatives withdrew 200,000 euros with his credit card.
Where are the investigators?
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to AFP that a preliminary investigation had been opened on August 3 into alleged acts of extortion in an organized gang and attempt. The investigations were entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (Oclco) of the PJ. According to information from France Info confirmed to AFP by a source familiar with the matter, Paul Pogba told investigators that he had “notably been trapped by childhood friends and two hooded men armed with assault rifles, Paul Pogba also assures investigators that he has been intimidated several times in Manchester, his former club, and up to the training center of Juventus.Among the suspects, he claims to have recognized his brother Mathias.
What is Mbappé doing in this galley?
The name of French football star Kylian Mbappé appears in the case against his will. Paul Pogba explained to investigators that “his blackmailers wanted to discredit him by broadcasting messages in which he would have asked a marabout from his family circle to cast a spell” on the PSG striker, which he denies. In tweets published on Sunday evening after the revelations concerning Paul’s hearing, Mathias Pogba takes Mbappé to witness: “Kylian, now do you understand? I have nothing negative against you, my words are for your good, everything is true and proven, the marabout is known! Sorry about this brother, a so-called Muslim thoroughly into witchcraft.”
What consequences for the France team?
Less than three months from the World Cup, this affair falls badly for the Blues and their coach, Didier Deschamps. Even if he is currently injured in his right knee and should arrive without much preparation in Qatar, Paul Pogba is one of the main leaders of the France team (91 caps, 11 goals). Privileged relay of Deschamps on the ground, “la Pioche” played a key role in the world title of 2018. As in 2016 with the affair of the “sextape” between Karim Benzema and Mathieu Valbuena, which had resulted in the exclusion of the two players in the selection, the impact could not be neutral on his morale, the internal functioning of the team and especially his relations with Mbappé. Quoted Monday by RMC Sport, Noël Le Graët, the president of the French Football Federation, said “hope(er) that it does not call into question his place in the France team”. “At this stage these are just rumours,” he added.
