Paul Pogba Is Owed His Due Respect

Few – if any – athletes are more impressive than footballers. Born and equipped with what can only be described as a God-given skill to entertain, they’re some of the most recognised and celebrated people on earth. Making it in the beautiful game, then, is a big achievement – especially when the club you play for ranks amongst the best in the world. As good as they all have it (the flashy cars and nice perks don’t hurt), some have it even better. Certain footballers, you see, possess a certain  je ne sais quoi. It transforms them from mere athletes into global superstars, capable of selling shirts all around the globe. David “Golden Balls” Beckham has a fanbase louder than your little sister’s favourite boyband, Andrea Pirlo is a style icon for the ages – and only liars would admit anyone has more star power than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

And the same too, funny enough, can be said of Paul Labile Pogba. The Frenchman possess star power in abundance, a familiarity with the lime-light equal to some of Hollywood’s great. Put it this way: if the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fancied a career in football, he’d be Paul Pogba. Tall, outgoing and with a knack for golden passes, he’s made his mark on world football. But today – for reasons I don’t understand – he’s become one of the most polarising figures in football. 

He’s been accused of everything you can imagine and some things you cannot: arrogant, flashy, money-hungry, social media crazed and unserious. British pundits and other ex-players have made it a sport criticising the Frenchman, seemingly finding little else to do between nostalgic recollections of their playing days and trips to different studios. “I wouldn’t believe a word he says”, said Roy Keane, after Paul Pogba apologised to fans following Manchester United’s heavy defeat at the hands of Everton. Then, in 2020, after the Manchester United player started his year with religious traditions, Ryan Giggs effectively implied he was refusing to play. Then came the endless, boring – and frankly ridiculous –  cries over his hair. Because, in case you didn’t know, a player’s hair plays a significantly important role in their ability to perform on the pitch. All talented and hardworking footballers, you see, have historically had little interest in hairstyles, choosing to stick to what is plain and conventional – except for Beckham, Neymar, Brazilian Ronaldo and dozens of some of the world’s best-ever footballers. Oh, and for good measure, the Frenchman has also come under fire for his supposes love of all things bling – and *checks notes* for being a bad teammate.

And when you take into consideration the humble story of the man himself, the endless personal shots became a little more confusing. Gifted with undeniable talent (if you disagree, just see yourself out) from a young age, he landed a spot at Manchester United’s prestigious academy in 2009. Strong, agile and with obvious technical abilities, he put the world on notice with style, winning four Series A titles with Juventus. The Old Lady was really good to him, and him to her.  With the chance to make a mockery of opponents alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal, he perfected his craft, with sublime passes a particular area of expertise. In the famous black and white stripes, he became a global superstar, attracting the eye of his former employer and the world’s (arguably) most famous club: Manchester United. For a then world-record fee, he was whisked to The Theatre of Dreams. So he’s a fairly big deal – but what’s the man actually like? Well, for starters, he’s hugely popular with his fellow players and staff – both at United and in France. Not bad, for someone supposedly consumed with everything else but his day job.

And if you’re minded not to, believe me, here’s what a former youth player at United had to say about him in 2019: “The narrative that Pogba is bad for the club is untrue, everyone at the club loves him. He will have a conversation with everyone, no matter who you are. Everyone has spoken to him, from the youth team to the cleaners.” He’s been insulted for his lack of leadership – yet almost every teammate singles him out for possessing the quality in abundance. And on the point of leadership, who can forget the infamous video of the man rallying the troops during France’s 2018 World Cup half-time team talk? The British sports media’s obsession with ignoring every one of his obvious qualities – both on and off the pitch – is bizarre. From Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Patrice Evra, Declan Rice to Troy Deeney, dozens of players have highlighted his good character, praising the United man for his humility and professionalism. So, why on earth is the media portrayal of him completely the opposite?

Quite frankly, if you were to ask me (this is an opinion piece, after all), it’s a complete disgrace. Yes, he’s a superstar, a footballer with more money than most will ever know – but so what? He’s still a human being, deserving of the same respect as anyone else. Is he above criticism when he performs poorly on the pitch? Of course not. In fact, if you’re an avid reader of my tweets, you’d note I’m the first to point out a bad Paul Pogba performance. No footballer – no matter how talented or famous – is immune to professional criticism. But pointing out bad passes or missed chances isn’t the same as persistent, crude character assassinations. In an age where we’re all committed to protecting each other’s mental health – it’s completely out of bounds to perpetuate that someone is arrogant, lazy, dishonest and every other insult under the sun – especially when the evidence suggests otherwise. It’s even more annoying, given the number of footballers convicted – not accused – of crimes ranging from drunk driving to abuse. 

Famously known for avoiding all kinds of alcohol, Pogba’s never been close to scandal, choosing to focus instead on his football. In reality, he’s a husband, father and a world-class footballer, with an ability to light up a game like no other. If the rumours are true, United’s number six will be leaving the Premier League this summer. If so, it’ll be a massive shame, given his struggle to achieve much on the pitch during his time here (not entirely his fault, but that’s an article for another day), and with a reputation he’s never deserved. 

In the age of social media and fast news, where headlines and outrageous comments draw attention, we’ve become ignorant of common manners and respect. Paul Pogba’s been one such victim of our collective refusal to respect normal boundaries. It’s almost as if…erm… you know what has played a role in the media’s negative relationship with him. 

We all can and should do better to call out childish, ridiculous and unwarranted character attacks. Sure, call him out for bad performances. But when it comes to everything else, Paul Pogba is owed his due respect.

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