“No winner in this case”: Paul Pogba’s brother sentenced to prison, footballer speaks out on family scandal

After more than a year of twists and turns, the verdict has been reached in the case between Paul Pogba and his brother Mathias. The latter was sentenced to one year in prison. The French footballer reacted soberly to this conclusion.

© Backgrid USA/Bestimage Paul Pogba and his wife Zulay Pogba arrive at the premiere of the film “4-0” in Paris

IN BRIEF

• On December 19, 2024, Mathias Pogba was sentenced to one year in prison for blackmail and kidnapping against his brother Paul Pogba.
• The case began in March 2022 with the kidnapping of Paul Pogba by armed men, including his brother Mathias, claiming 13 million euros.
• Paul Pogba, although relieved by the verdict, stresses that there is “no winner” and wants to focus on his return to professional football.

The trial between Paul Pogba and his brother Mathias ended this Thursday, December 19, 2024 with a one-year prison sentence against the latter. A painful conclusion for the French midfielder who lived through “an extremely difficult period” in his own words. A look back at this extraordinary case that shook the world of football.

A bizarre case that tears the Pogba family apart

It all started in March 2022 when Paul Pogba found himself trapped in a dark story of kidnapping and blackmail. Held by armed men demanding 13 million euros in an apartment in the Paris suburbs, the footballer discovered with amazement that his brother Mathias was among the suspects.

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The case took on a new dimension in August 2022 when Mathias Pogba posted threatening videos on social media, directly targeting his brother Paul and promising shattering revelations. The judicial machine then went into overdrive until the trial began in September 2024.

After several weeks of hearings, the court finally ruled. Mathias Pogba was given of 3 years in prison, including one year in prison which he will serve under an electronic tag. The five other defendants present during the kidnapping received sentences of up to 8 years in prison and heavy fines.

“There is no winner in this case” according to Paul Pogba

The day after the verdict, Paul Pogba, who was not present at the trial, gave an initial reaction through his lawyer. Relieved to be able to “finally turn the page“, he nevertheless stressed that there was “no winner in this case which involves members of his family and people he has known since childhood“.

The 2018 world champion, currently without a club after the termination of his contract with Juventus Turin, now wants to “fully concentrate on his return to professional football“. A way for him to close this painful chapter and look to the future, even if the wounds will probably remain raw for a long time.

This Pogba affair, which mixes money, family and football, will remain one of the biggest scandals to hit French football in recent years. If justice has delivered its verdict, it will take time for all the scars to heal.