Paul Pogba’s World Cup place in doubt after knee surgery

 

 

Paul Pogba, a midfielder for France and Juventus, will likely miss the World Cup in Qatar later this year due to knee surgery.

The 29-year-old Pogba has not played this season since suffering the injury in July.

 

On November 22, France will face Australia in its opening World Cup game.

 

“This morning Pogba trained for the second time, but then stopped, and it was then decided that he undergo surgery,” said Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri.

“We will realistically get him back in January.”

Juventus later said the surgery – selective external arthroscopic meniscectomy – was “a complete success”.

The first winter World Cup will cause the Serie A season to end after games on November 13 and restart in January.

Asked if Pogba would be ready for France’s World Cup defence, Allegri added: “The World Cup is not my problem, Juventus’ problem is that he comes back in January.”

This summer, Pogba returned to the Serie A team when his deal with Manchester United expired.

 

As France won the World Cup for a second time in 2018, he scored in the 4-1 victory over Croatia.