France will look to secure a quarterfinal spot in the 2024 European Championship when it plays Belgium at the Dusseldorf Arena in Germany on Monday.
Didier Descamps side started the tournament with a 1-0 win over Austria and, after a goalless draw with Netherlands, sailed into the knockouts with another 1-1 draw with Poland. But one of the major names missing from their squad in this edition of the Euros is Paul Pogba, once one of the best midfielders for France around the world.
Pogba made his senior team debut in 2013 and went on to win the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, beating Croatia in the final. He has played 91 times for Les Blues and has 11 goals and nine assists to his name.
WHY POGBA IS NOT PLAYING IN FRANCE vs BELGIUM?
Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal in September 2023 after testing positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - a banned substance known to boost production of hormones, including testosterone.
Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) later confirmed the ban in February this year, announcing a four year ban for the Juventus midfielder. As a result, he was ineligible for selection by default.
The 31-year-old, however, is present in the stadium during the game, watching it from the stands. He has also appealed against his ban to the Court of Arbitration of Sport but a decision on his plea is yet to arrive.
Pogba was instrumental for France in Group stages of the European Championship 2020, where he scored a goal from 25-yards against Switzerland, a match that France went on to lose 4-5 on penalties, following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.
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