Inside the turbulent Mourinho and Pogba years at Manchester United
Jose Mourinho has become known throughout the world of football because of his achievements, having won everything in Europe and establishing himself as one of the finest coaches in the sport. However, the manager is also highly controversial, mainly because of the several feuds he had throughout the years, including his issues with mercurial French midfielder Paul Pogba.
The Honeymoon Period
Mourinho was hired as Manchester United's manager in the summer of 2016, having replaced his former mentor, Louis van Gaal, after the latter won the 2015/16 FA Cup but was sacked soon after. The club's first major statement was signing legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mourinho was very clear that he wanted Paul Pogba in his first press conference."Our relationship was like that of a couple," Pogba explained in 2024. "We were constantly breaking up and making up. It all started off great; he was one of the reasons I returned to Manchester. I spoke to him, and he convinced me to come back."
Pogba was a former United academy player, but left in 2012 for Juventus as a free agent and became one of the most coveted midfielders of his generation. The Red Devils would spend 89 million British pounds to get him back, making the Frenchman the most expensive player in the world at the time.
This would result in a lot of scrutiny for Pogba, alongside major criticism whenever things didn't work out for him, but, all in all, his first season with United and Mourinho was a good one. He played a major role in United winning the Carabao Cup and the UEFA Europa League, with him scoring in the latter's final. It seemed that everything was going well, but things would take a turn.
The Relationship Downfall
While Pogba started the 2017/18 season quite well, contributing with involvement to four goal, he got an injury the following week and missed several matches, going to Miami for recovery. This wasn't a decision that Mourinho liked and the Frenchman's performances began to get worse, with him failing to recover his best version.Slowly but surely, Mourinho was easing in a new player from the academy, Scott McTominay, with the manager usually preferring him over Pogba, causing more issues. While both sides would remain coy with the press regarding their relationship, Mourinho would later claim that the World Cup2018 World Cup, the competition that Pogba won with France, did him no favors.
"The World Cup brought him into a dimension where football was not the most important thing for him," Mourinho recalled in 2024. "Sharing the philosophy of everyone; everyone with the same level of responsibilities. When you are supported by the power, by the hierarchy, the message that passes through is very positive in the group. When you are not supported... because the player is more important or what the player represents is more important - then you are in a fragile situation. Even if you are a coach with so much experience as was my case.'
Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Mourinho's third season had a very poor start and this was also reflected through Pogba, for the most part. The Frenchman would claim that he would always play well for a manager who trusted him, which is something that some people have considered a dig at the Portuguese.
Then there is the infamous scene in 2018 at Carrington, United's training facilities, where Mourinho is seen confronting Pogba, with the latter holding a confused stare. This has become, arguably, the most important and discussed moment of their entire relationship as manager and coach.
"I once had a great relationship with Mourinho, everyone saw it, and the next day I don't know what happened. That's the strange thing about my relationship with Mourinho and I can't explain it because even I don't know," Pogba told Le Figaro in 2022. "On a personal level, I've experienced depression during my career, but I don't talk about it much. It all started with Mourinho when he was manager of Manchester United. You wonder if it's your fault, because you've never experienced those moments in your life. Sometimes we don't know what it is. We simply feel like isolating ourselves, being alone, and those signs are undeniable."
The Aftermath
Mourinho would be sacked by United in late 2018 and Pogba would leave in the summer of 2022 as a free agent, with the two of them suffering a lot of criticism. When it comes to their relationship, it was never solved and both sides seem to have no lost between each other."I fell into a depression without realizing it. (...) Until I started getting bald patches on my scalp. (...) They told me it was stress," Pogba recalled to GQ Magazine in April of 2025. "These tests have given me extra determination. I feel like a kid who wants to be a professional. I've become that little Paul Pogba from Roissy-en-Brie again, the one who's going to make his mark."
While they had good moments working together, it seems clear that Pogba and Mourinho were certainly not a good match. They did win a couple of trophies together, but neither proved to be a catalyst to change United's fortunes and there is an argument to be made that they were only in each other's way.
All in all, it is a fascinating examination of what happens when a talented player and a successful manager don't get along. It has become a bit of a historical rivalry in modern football, with a lot of people taking sides in this argument. It makes a lot of sense when considering what they represent for modern football.