Paul Pogba believes Jose Mourinho getting ‘p****d off’ with constant questions about the midfielder’s injury problems and Manchester United future contributed to their high-profile fallout at Old Trafford.
The French star, who rejoined United in a then world-record deal worth £89million in 2016, was involved in several public bust-ups with Mourinho before the Portuguese was sacked in December 2018.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Pogba – now at Monaco after returning to football following an 18-month doping ban – claims problems between the pair began with his injury issues.
‘You don’t want to be mean, I don’t have any problem with any coaches,’ Pogba said.
‘I always respect, always respect. They tell me what to do. They are the boss. That’s the truth. They are the boss. They decide if you play or not.
‘We were very cool at the start, sending messages and stuff like that. He’s a really funny man. He’s a funny guy. He’s really special, to be honest. And after a time, I think the injuries created that [a breakdown in relations].
Paul Pogba has provided fresh insight into the breakdown of his relationship with Jose Mourinho
Pogba and Mourinho were involved in several public bust-ups during their time at Man United
‘When always the media ask him questions about me, maybe makes him a bit like, “OK is he done?” And this is the problem also with me, like a lot of people they love to ask about me. Always Paul, Paul, Paul, and that probably p****d him off.’
Pogba previously claimed relations with Mourinho started to deteriorate when the then United boss sent a picture of him to his agent Mino Raiola while he was recovering from injury, leaving the player furious.
He claims Mourinho questioned his decision to take a rehab break to the United States and forwarded to Raiola a picture of him and his wife Zulay in Miami.
Mourinho also stripped Pogba of the vice-captaincy and made backhanded comments about the Frenchman’s performances for his country before a dramatic training-ground spat was spotted by television cameras.
The Portuguese allegedly referred to Pogba as a ‘virus’, comments which did not go down well in the midfielder’s camp.
Pogba also opened up on the differences at United from his first spell as a promising youngster to his second stint at the club, and revealed he told compatriot and friend Patrice Evra not long after his return that he wasn’t sure he would see out his contract.
Sky Sports captured an apparent training ground row between Mourinho and Pogba in 2018
‘I talked to Pat and said everything is different. The energy is different,’ Pogba told Ferdinand.
‘I said when I left, it wasn’t like that. You came to Manchester United with a clear idea of the culture of Manchester United. And it was a bit… it was different.
‘Even the food, everything inside was different. It was a bit weird.
‘I told Pat I don’t know if I’ll finish my contract basically here because I don’t feel like it’s the same. It’s not the same club as when I left.’
Pogba saw out his deal at United before leaving Old Trafford on a free transfer to return to Juventus in the summer of 2022.
But his stint back in Italy was marred by injuries and being banned for doping. He was initially suspended for four years before the ban was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 2018 World Cup winner left Juventus in November 2024 and went seven months without a club before signing for Monaco on a two-year deal.
