Manchester United legend Bryan Robson has criticized Paul Pogba for losing focus during his time at Old Trafford, claiming the French midfielder became too absorbed in his social media presence. Robson believes Pogba’s distractions contributed to his inability to meet the expectations of his world-record £89 million move to United.
Paul Pogba’s time at Manchester United is often remembered for the immense hype surrounding his return in 2016 and his subsequent struggles to meet expectations. Now, United icon Bryan Robson has weighed in on the midfielder’s troubled spell at Old Trafford, suggesting that Pogba “forgot about football” and became too focused on his image.
Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus for a then-record £89 million, arrived with great fanfare and showed glimpses of his talent, helping the club win the Europa League and Carabao Cup in the 2016-17 season. However, his time at United was also marred by accusations of distraction, with both Pogba and his former teammate Jesse Lingard often criticized for their exuberant goal celebrations and off-field antics.
Robson’s Criticism of Pogba’s Distractions
In an interview with OLBG, Robson, who spent 13 years at United and scored 100 goals in 465 appearances, shared his views on Pogba’s time at the club. He stated:
Paul Pogba had unbelievable talent, a great presence, and he could score a goal. But for me, after a few years of real success at Man Utd, he and a few of the other lads got caught up with all the social media and forgot about football and how hard you’ve got to work.
Robson continued:
What they forgot was that they were getting all the money because they were great players and then they dipped off because it was all about clothes and image and dancing in the dressing room. I don’t think there would have been dancing in the dressing room if I’d been captain at that time!
Pogba’s Decline and Departure from United
Pogba’s time at United ended in 2022 when he returned to Juventus, but his career at the Italian club also faced setbacks. After a knee injury, Pogba was handed a four-year ban for a doping violation. However, following a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), his ban was reduced to 18 months in October 2024.
Despite his potential, Pogba’s off-field distractions and inconsistent performances left many questioning whether he ever truly fulfilled his immense promise at United.
Pogba at Monaco and the Road Ahead
Now at Monaco, Pogba continues to recover from his doping ban and is unlikely to feature in their upcoming Ligue 1 clash against Metz this Sunday. Under Adi Hutter, Monaco currently sit third in the league with three wins and one loss from their opening four matches. As he works on regaining his fitness, it remains to be seen whether Pogba can ever replicate the potential he showed during his younger years at Juventus and on the international stage.
