Paul Pogba has hit back at recent suggestions made by Manchester United icons Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand about his conduct whilst at the club. Speaking out following the announcement that his football ban had been cut down to 18 months, the Frenchman had a score to settle.
After six years at United in his second spell, Pogba returned to Juventus in 2022 on a free transfer at the end of his contract. It ended a disappointing move back to Old Trafford in 2016 that had seen him become the world’s most expensive player at the time.
As United struggled for consistency on and off the field, Pogba failed to hit the heights expected of him. The midfielder was often questioned over his commitment to the club.
In 2021, almost four years after their final appearance together, Rooney claimed he had to confiscate a speaker from Pogba and former United attacker Jesse Lingard in the dressing following a defeat.
“I do remember one time, coming into training at United the day after a defeat, still feeling very annoyed and walking into the dressing room with Michael Carrick,” he told The Times.
“We found Jesse and Paul dancing in there with the music on. I went over, turned it off and took the speakers out of the dressing room — because that’s my mindset, that’s how I’ve grown up in football.
“Paul and Jesse accepted it, because I was the senior player, but in hindsight they were not doing anything wrong, not hurting anyone, and it was just my old-school mentality kicking in. As Rio Ferdinand has said, players of our generation just have to get used to this generation and what has changed.”
“I rang Wazza [Rooney] when I saw Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard dancing on Instagram when we were sixth in the league. I rang Wazza and asked, ‘what’s happening here? How are you allowing this?’
Pogba has dismissed this version of events. “I want to clarify something because I’ve been hearing stuff that Wayne Rooney once said,” he told Sky Sports. “We lost a game and me and Jesse [Lingard] were dancing in the changing room [Rooney said].
“We need always another opinion, a witness on this. If somebody can confirm what Wayne Rooney said when we were in the changing room then I will accept it.
“If not then that’s mean. It’s not true. And when Jesse Lingard tells you, did Jesse Lingard confirm that? Never. I never confirmed that because I am someone, I am a very bad loser and I respect what I do and I respect the club.
“After a game that I lose, we come into the dressing room putting on music and Wayne Rooney, the legend of the club, sitting there and not saying anything to us? Does it match? Do you think it matches?
“Nobody in the club will come and say nothing to us dancing after we lose a game? Hmm.”