Pogba offers World Cup pep talk to AFCON-bound Guinea
Still in limbo at club level, French superstar Paul Pogba has redirected his focus internationally by paying a morale-boosting visit to the Guinea national team this week as they finetune preparations for a landmark Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Pogba was all smiles as he touched down Sunday in Guinea’s training camp base in Abu Dhabi, where he was warmly greeted by national team captain and Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita.
Video captured the two global icons sharing a nostalgic handshake and embracing before Keita headed out for drills.
While Pogba remains embroiled in controversy amid allegations of doping during his injury-marred second stint at Juventus, the 29-year old chose to shift attention towards supporting the country his parents hail from.
With Guinea staging their pre-tournament camp in the UAE, it presented a perfect opportunity for Pogba to temporarily escape his troubles by reconnecting with his African roots.
Having inspired France to World Cup glory in 2018 alongside Mbappe and Griezmann, Pogba brings a wealth of invaluable championship experience that could aid tournament debutants Guinea.
With La Pogbance set to miss this year’s defence of France’s title, he appears determined to impart winning wisdom onto the next generation of his ancestral home nation instead.
Pogba will have the chance to have an even more direct mentoring role with Guinea captain Keita, a rising African midfield talent now hitting his prime at 28.
The two have enjoyed many intense midfield battles as Premier League foes between 2018-2022 when Pogba starred for Manchester United and Keita led Liverpool’s midfield.
With Guinea set to kick off their 2023 AFCON campaign on January 15th against Malawi, Pogba’s surprise morale-lifting cameo signals the Syli Nationale have additional world-beating pedigree in their camp.
If Pogba can inspire Guinea similarly to how he ignited France’s 2018 World Cup triumph, an unprecedented continental fairytale could be unfolding soon.
𝙇𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙪𝙭 𝙡𝙚́𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙨 🤝 🇬🇳
Regardez qui est passé nous rendre visite. #FGF | #SyliNational | #CAN2023 pic.twitter.com/snQaQ93m8d
— Fédération Guinéenne de Football (@fgfofficiel) December 31, 2023
