This is a new blow for the France team. Paul Pogba’s lawyer Rafaela Pimenta confirmed the player’s withdrawal for the 2022 World Cup on Monday, October 31. The 29-year-old midfielder, who is struggling to recover from his knee surgery, will not be ready in time to compete in the World Cup and defend the title of the Blues. After N’Golo Kanté, Didier Deschamps loses a new major player in midfield.
“After medical examinations yesterday [dimanche] and today [lundi]it is extremely painful to inform that Paul Pogba will still need rehabilitation after his operation [d’un genou début septembre]. For this reason, Paul will not be able to join (…) the French team in Qatar”Rafaela Pimenta said in a statement.
The 2018 world champion lost his race against the clock. Operated for a meniscus in early September, he had resumed collective training with Juventus Turin in recent days, but a new physical glitch on Sunday will delay his recovery, making it impossible to be selected on the list announced on November 9 by coach Didier Deschamps . Examinations carried out in Turin then Pittsburgh (United States) confirmed the inevitable trend for the competition which starts on November 20th.
“If wishful thinking could change things, Paul would have played tomorrow. But what changes things is hard work, resilience and discipline, which are currently the only things on his mind in these trying times.”continues Rafaela Pimenta in her press release. “Paul will continue to give his best to be back on the pitch for the fans and his team as soon as possible”she added. His club also communicated on his state of health, explaining that the player “had to continue his rehabilitation”.
Injured in the right knee, which he had operated on in early September in the hope of being able to recover to travel to Qatar, the Juventus Turin player has been sidelined since the start of the season. Returning to Italy, he still has not played an official match with the Old Lady, and his last outing dates back to April, with his former club Manchester United.
Mined by injuries, Pogba was already not present in the last two lists of Didier Deschamps in June and September. His last selection dates back to the end of March, against South Africa. With his package, the Blues lose their metronome in the midfield, who has only missed one international match for the France team in ten years.