Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba revelaed he has experienced depression “several times” in his career and first had issues during Jose Mourinho’s reign at Old Trafford.
The France international endured a difficult relationship with Mourinho and was stripped of United’s vice-captaincy in September 2018 before the Portuguese was sacked three months later.
He believes it is difficult for professional footballers to speak openly about mental health problems, stressing that receiving a high salary does not make players immune.
“Completely, and several times during my career,” replied Pogba, when asked if he had experienced depression, in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro.
“I have been through it, but we don’t talk about it. Sometimes you don’t even know you have depression, you just want to be isolated, to be all alone, these are the unmistakable signs.
“From a personal perspective, that started when I was with Jose Mourinho at Manchester.
“You ask yourself if there is something wrong with you, because you have never experienced these moments in your life.
“Of course we earn a lot of money and we don’t complain, really. But that does not prevent you from going through these moments in your life – like the whole world – which are more difficult than others.
“In football it is not acceptable but we are not superheroes, we are only human beings.”
Former Arsenal and France forward Thierry Henry recently expressed his view that there is insufficient discussion about the mental health of players.
World Cup winner Pogba concurred with Henry and used international team-mate Kylian Mbappe – whose penalty shoot-out miss led to France’s Euro 2020 exit against Switzerland – as an example.
“I agree entirely with Titi (Henry),” said Pogba, who re-joined United for a then-world record £89m in 2016.
“Football is the most individual of team sports.
“One is judged every three days, we have to be good all the time, although we have worries like everyone, whether that’s with our partners, our coach, in everyday life.
“Of course you will feel it in your body, in your head, and you can have a month, even a year, when you are not great. But you can’t say it – publicly anyway.
“Everything is inside your head, the mind controls everything and all top athletes go through these moments, but very few talk about it.
“Kylian, when he missed his penalty against Switzerland, nobody thought about him afterwards even though he received tonnes of criticism and awful things said about him.
“If you are not shielded mentally, you are dead in this sport. These tests will be the making of you, but you must not let your guard down.”
Pogba says he speaks with former players, including ex-Manchester United and France defender Patrice Evra, and a psychiatrist in order to alleviate depression.
“I don’t want it to be the case that these negative moments make me forget all my achievements,” he said.
“But it isn’t necessarily easy and when I can’t manage by myself, I talk a lot with Tonton Pat (Evra) – former players who have experienced it, because they will understand immediately.
“My psychiatrist can be my best friend, my wife or my son. To speak, to be listened to, to get out all of this rage and this depression that is gnawing at you is obligatory for me.”
Pogba also revealed his 2018 World Cup winner’s medal was among the items stolen during a recent burglary at his home.
The incident occurred last Tuesday while he was playing in United’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid and with his children asleep in their bedroom in the care of a nanny.
“There were jewels from my mother, my world champion medal,” Pogba said of the items taken.
“What scared me the most was that my two children were at home with the nanny during this incident.
“She overheard everything, called my wife and security, then locked herself with the boys in a room. For several days, she was shocked. The main thing is that my children are well.”
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
