A World Cup winning midfielder, whose career once promised so much, Paul Pogba has played in some of the best stadiums in the world, against some of the best teams of all time.
Turning out for Juventus and Man United during his career, the Frenchman regularly played at Old Trafford and the Allianz Stadium, two of Europe’s biggest and best arenas. Playing his home games in these fantastic stadiums, whilst also playing away at iconic grounds such as the Camp Nou, the Bernabeu and Wembley during league and Champions League games, Pogba has certainly seen some of the best stadiums that the game has to offer.
In a recent interview, Pogba discussed the most intimidating grounds he has played at, and one of his answers may upset Man United fans.
Pogba Reveals the Most Intimidating Stadiums He Has Played In
One of Man United’s rivals is mentioned
Having played in Italy for four years, a country known for its love for football and fantastic atmospheres, it may have been expected that Pogba would have picked one of their stadiums but that was not the case. When asked what was the most terrifying stadiums he has played in, he told FootballJOE:
“I think there’s two. Liverpool at Anfield, and Dortmund.”
Although United fans may be disappointed to hear this answer, given the clubs’ rivalry, it may make sense that Liverpool provide one of the most hostile environments for Pogba to play in. Anfield, a ground that the midfielder never won at, is famous for its special atmosphere, particularly on European nights and against rivals, and it certainly was a tough test for the Frenchman. A record of 2 draws (both 0-0), and a 4-0 defeat at Anfield, Pogba never had a great day there, which may explain why they were mentioned.
Despite no rival connection, Pogba marked Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park as an intimidating atmosphere to play in too. The German stadium is known for its incredible atmosphere, and boasts the largest terrace for standing spectators in Europe, known as the ‘Yellow Wall’, which is renowned across the world.
The Frenchman only ever played at Borussia Dortmund’s ground on one occasion, a 3-0 win during the 2014/15 Champions League, which further enforces how good the atmosphere must have been. A great game on the pitch for Pogba, the support from the home fans must have been incredible for him to have come away with a negative memory.
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Pogba’s Unique Career
The Frenchman had two spells at Man United
Beginning his youth career in France, Pogba was signed from Le Havre by Man United when he was just 16 years old. Starting out with the clubs under-18s, and after impressing, was called up to the first team squad on numerous occasions. The Frenchman made the bench on a few occasions during the 2010/11 campaign, before becoming more involved the following year.
Approaching the final year of his contract, Pogba was itching for more opportunities, which Sir Alex Ferguson was aware of. Hoping to not stunt his development and encourage him to stay, Ferguson played Pogba during multiple League Cup matches, before handing him his league and European debuts later in the 2011/12 campaign. However, despite his efforts, Pogba opted to leave the club, and was announced as a Juventus player, on a free transfer, in July 2012.
In Turin, Pogba became one of the best midfielders in the world. Winning four Serie A titles in four seasons, the midfielder went from strength to strength each campaign, developing into a midfield general. Consistently scoring world-class goals, whilst also being defensively strong and unbelievably skillful, there were few players at his level at the time. After becoming such a good player, Man United decided to re-sign the Frenchman, for a then world record transfer fee.
A fee, reported to be over €100 million, made Pogba the most expensive player of all-time (at the time), and the expectations were immense. However, the midfielder was never able to become the player he truly promised to be. Inconsistent performances, fallings out with managers and more, Pogba never settled back in Manchester. After such promise with Juventus, it was expected he could do the same at Man United, but in July 2022, upon the expiration of his contract, he left the club with just one trophy won, the 2017 Europa League.
Winning the World Cup in 2018 was certainly the Frenchman’s greatest day, but in club football he never reached the heights he should have. A move back to Juventus followed, but after failing a drugs test in 2023, Pogba was banned from playing and subsequently had his contract terminated.