 Pogba at a2018 FIFA World Cup match | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mathias Fassou Pogba[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-08-19)19 August 1990 (age 35) | ||
| Place of birth | Conakry, Guinea | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2009 | Celta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2010 | Quimper | 19 | (2) |
| 2010–2012 | Wrexham | 66 | (15) |
| 2012–2014 | Crewe Alexandra | 56 | (17) |
| 2014–2015 | Pescara | 4 | (0) |
| 2015 | Crawley Town | 17 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | Partick Thistle | 30 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Sparta Rotterdam | 14 | (4) |
| 2016–2017 | Sparta Rotterdam B | 2 | (2) |
| 2018–2019 | Tours | 5 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Tours B | 3 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Manchego Ciudad Real | 15 | (2) |
| 2020 | Lorca | 7 | (3) |
| 2020 | Racing Murcia | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | Tabor Sežana | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Belfort | 12 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2013–2017 | Guinea | 5 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:15, 8 April 2022 (UTC) | |||
Mathias Fassou Pogba (born 19 August 1990) is a Guinean former professionalfootballer who played as aforward. His twin brotherFlorentin and younger brotherPaul are also professional footballers.
Having started his career as a youth atCelta Vigo, Pogba played briefly forQuimper in France before following his brotherPaul to the United Kingdom, where he played forWrexham andCrewe Alexandra. After four years in the English leagues, he moved to ItalianSerie B sidePescara in 2014, but returned to England withCrawley Town only a few months later. After short spells at Scotland'sPartick Thistle and in the Netherlands atSparta Rotterdam, he joinedTours in September 2018. During the 2019–20 season, he played in Spain for bothManchego andLorca. Pogba has also played five times for theGuinea national team since his debut in 2013.
In December 2024, Pogba was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for attempted extortion of €13 million ($13.5 million) from his brotherPaul Pogba.[3]
After growing up inParis, Pogba joined the youth system at Spanish sideCelta Vigo along with his twin brotherFlorentin.[4] The pair left the club in 2009, with Pogba stating his time there was difficult due to language barriers, living abroad and being away from his family.[5] He returned to France to joinfourth division sideQuimper, scoring twice in the league during one season at the club. While at the club, he lived with Algerian internationalRiyad Mahrez.[6]
In September 2010, Pogba joinedConference National sideWrexham after a successful trial spell in August 2010.[7][8]
Pogba made his Wrexham debut seven days later, coming on as a substitute forCurtis Obeng in the 75th minute, in a 0–0 draw againstFleetwood Town.[9] It took until 3 January 2011 for Pogba to score his first Wrexham goal, in a 2–0 win overBath City.[10] Pogba then scored two goals in two games againstCambridge United[11] andMansfield Town.[12] His fourth goal later came on 22 February 2011, in a 1–0 win overWimbledon.[13] His scoring form in January soon led Pogba to sign a new contract, keeping him at the club until 2012.[14] Pogba made 29 appearances and scored four times in his first season at Wrexham.
In the 2011–12 season, Pogba played in the first two games, but was then dropped for two matches, due to an off-the-pitch issue.[15] He returned to the first team againstAlfreton Town and scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 win.[16] By the end of December, Pogba had scored a further six times (againstGrimsby Town,[17]Hayes & Yeading United,[18]Luton Town,[19]Lincoln City.[20] and two againstGateshead)[21] in 22 appearances. After being sidelined for two games due to fitness,[22] Pogba made his return againstForest Green Rovers, only to be sidelined for the third time after suffering an ankle injury.[23] On his return, Pogba scored in a 4–1 win over Hayes & Yeading United on 18 February 2012.[24] He later added three more goals (againstEbbsfleet United,[25]Darlington[26] andBraintree Town).[27] He was voted the club's young player of the year during the 2011–12 season.[28]
Out of contract at the end of the year, Pogba was offered a new two-year deal by the club,[29] which he rejected in a bid to play football at a higher level. Wrexham bossAndy Morrell criticised Pogba's handling of the situation, describing him as "disrespectful" to the club after not informing them of his intention to leave until 48-hours before the start of the club's pre-season.[30]
After leaving Wrexham, Pogba signed forCrewe Alexandra on 7 July 2012 on a two-year deal.[31] After scoring eight goals in 11 pre-season friendly matches, Pogba was given the number 9 shirt ahead of the new season.[32]
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Pogba quickly made an impact when he scored twice on his debut againstHartlepool in aLeague Cupfirst round tie on 11 August.[33] A week later, he scored on his league debut, notching a 78th minute consolation in a 2–1 defeat toNotts County,[34] which Pogba scored two weeks later, in a 5–1 loss againstBrentford.[35] However, Pogba suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for the most of September.[36] He made his first team return, coming on as a substitute forA-Jay Leitch-Smith in the 62nd minute, in a 1–0 loss againstMilton Keynes Dons on 29 September 2012.[37] By the end of December, Pogba scored four more league goals in 20 appearances (againstDoncaster Rovers,[38]Colchester United,[39]Sheffield United[40] andOldham Athletic),[41] while scoring two more goals in separate cup competitions againstWycombe Wanderers[42] and Doncaster Rovers.[43] After two months without scoring, Pogba ended his goal drought when he scored in a 2–1 loss againstBournemouth on 12 February 2013.[44] Pogba later added four more goals - one each againstPortsmouth,[45] and Colchester United and a brace against MK Dons.[46] However, Pogba suffered a torn thigh that sidelined him for the rest of the season, resulting him having an operation.[47][48] Despite missing out for theFootball League Trophy Final and the club's promotion to League One, Pogba made 41 appearances and scoring 16 times (making him the club's top scorer of the 2012–13 season) in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2013–14 season, the club's head physio Rob Sharp expected Pogba to be fit for the start of pre-season friendlies.[49] Pogba was included in five pre-season matches still in shirt number 9.[50] However, he sustained a medial ligament injury to his right knee during a 2–0 defeat to a Manchester United XI.[51] It was announced that he would be out for at least three months.[52] By the end of October, Pogba returned to light training under supervision from the club's head physio and conditioning coach.[53] While regaining his fitness, Pogba signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him at the club until 2015.[54] By the end of December, he returned to full training to maintain his fitness.[55] Pogba made his first team return, coming on as a substitute for Leitch-Smith in the 62nd minute, in a 4–2 loss againstRotherham United on 11 January 2014.[56] He then scored his first goal of the 2013–14 season, in a 3–3 draw againstBradford City on 8 February 2014[57] and scored two weeks later, in a 3–1 win overPort Vale.[58] On 22 March 2014, he scored his third goal of the season, in a 3–1 win overGillingham.[59] Pogba later added two more goals towards the final month of the season (againstShrewsbury Town[60] and Preston).[61] Despite an injury-hit 2013–14 season, he made 22 appearances and scored five times.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, managerSteve Davis was determined that Pogba could play as a central striker,[62] but Pogba wanted to leave Crewe despite the club's attempt to persuade him to stay.[63] Crewe accepted a bid fromPescara.[64] Pogba later explained inThe Guardian that he wanted to leave Crewe to step up to new challenges.[5]
Pogba signed forSerie B teamPescara in July 2014, joining his brother Paul of Juventus in Italy for an undisclosed fee.[65] He made his Pescara debut on 28 September 2014, coming on as a substitute forMatteo Politano in the 84th minute, in a 2–1 loss againstCatania.[66] After six months at the club, Pogba was released by Pescara, after four appearances and no goals.[67] He said that his time at Pescara was not good, as the managerMarco Baroni did not see him play and rarely talked.[68]
Pogba signed forLeague One teamCrawley Town on 4 February 2015 after his release by Pescara.[69] Three days after signing for the club, he made his Crawley Town debut, in a 2–1 loss againstYeovil Town.[70] He scored his first goal for Crawley Town during a 4–3 defeat toPeterborough United on 25 April 2015, ending a 15-game run without scoring.[71] Pogba scored once more in the last game of the season, a 2–1 defeat toCoventry City which resulted in Crawley's relegation from League One. Days later, he left the club.[citation needed]
On 3 August 2015, Pogba signed a one-year contract withScottish Premiership sidePartick Thistle, with an option to extend by a further year.[72] He made his Partick Thistle debut, coming on as a substitute forSteven Lawless in the 50th minute, in a 2–1 loss againstCeltic five days later.[73] Pogba scored his first Partick Thistle goal in a 1–1 draw withHamilton on 24 October 2015.[74] He scored his second Partick Thistle goal against the same opponents on 19 March 2016, in a 2–1 victory atNew Douglas Park.[75]
Pogba scored his first goal of the 2016–17 season in a 4–1Scottish League Cup win overStenhousemuir.[76] On 31 August 2016, he was released from his contract by mutual consent.[77]
On 31 August 2016, Pogba signed a one-year contract withEredivisie sideSparta Rotterdam.[78] He made his Sparta debut on 27 November 2016 in a 2–2 draw with Roda.[79] Pogba scored his first goal for Sparta on 5 March 2017 in the first minute of the game againstFeyenoord.[80]
In August 2018, Pogba trialled with Germanthird-tier sideKFC Uerdingen. The trial, however, was cut short after one day with coachStefan Krämer stating that Pogba, following an injury, was not in the physical shape required to be of any help to the club.[81]
In September 2018, Pogba joined French third tier sideTours.[82]
On 28 July 2019, Pogba completed a move to Spain'sManchego; a team in theCastilla–La Mancha group of theTercera División.[83]
On 1 January 2020, Pogba moved toLorca. He was released six months later, on 1 July 2020.
On 7 August 2020, Pogba signed for SpanishTercera División sideRacing Murcia.[84]
On 16 February 2021, Pogba joinedSlovenian PrvaLiga teamTabor Sežana for the remainder of the2020–21 season.[85]
On 10 August 2021, Pogba joinedChampionnat National 2 teamBelfort for the2021–22 season.[86]
Pogba made his debut for Guinea in an international friendly againstSenegal in Paris on 5 February 2013.[87] He came off the bench to play alongside twin brotherFlorentin Pogba for the final 30 minutes of Guinea's 1–1 draw.[88]
Pogba has two brothers who are also professional footballers.[89] His twin brother,Florentin, plays for Belgian sideR.E. Virton.[90] His younger brother,Paul has played for theFrance national team.[91]
The Pogba brothers grew up in Paris. Mathias and Paul lived together while playing for Wrexham and Manchester United respectively.[68] Mathias was at theStade de France watching his brother Paul play an international friendly against Germany when theParis attacks occurred on 13 November 2015.[92]
In 2022, he was charged and detained over an alleged plot to extort money from his brother Paul, the France and Juventus midfielder. Paul filed a complaint with Turin prosecutors on 16 July 2022 claiming he was the target of a €13 million (£11.29 million) blackmail plot.[93][94][95] Mathias Pogba was detained in September 2022 in connection with the case before being released under judicial review on 23 December 2022.[96][97] In June 2024, French prosecutors called for Pogba and fellow defendants to face trial on kidnap charges.[98][99] In December 2024, Mathias Pogba was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for the attempted extortion; he will serve a one-year sentence with an electronic bracelet rather than in prison. He was also fined €20,000. Five other defendants received sentences of up to eight years.[3]
Crewe Alexandra
