Pogba set to miss Qatar World Cup

Defending champion France will miss the service of Paul Pogba in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. After picking up another injury in training, his agent Rafaela Pimenta confirmed the matter.

According to GOAL, the midfielder was trying to make a comeback from a knee injury that had thrown his involvement into doubt in the first place.

Speaking to French outlet Telefoot, as quoted by Get French Football News, Pimenta explained, "Paul would like to return as quickly as he can but he has to arm himself with patience, work hard in these difficult times, and give his best to be back on the pitch for the fans and his team as soon as possible."

Upon making his return to Juventus in the summer, Pogba suffered a knee injury in pre-season and has spent the time since recovering from surgery. The midfielder had been closing in on a return in previous weeks, with one eye on Qatar, but will now miss the tournament in which he proved integral to helping France win in 2018.

Didier Deschamps is also without fellow midfielder N'Golo Kante, giving him a selection headache with less than a month until the World Cup as injuries cut through his typically star-studded squad.

After undergoing medical tests in Turin and Pittsburgh, Pogba must now focus his efforts on properly rehabilitating from his initial knee injury and overcoming the new thigh injury, in order to salvage what has so far been a dismal return to Juve in the second half of the season.