Pogba denies quitting French team over Macron’s comment on Islam

Paul Pogba, Manchester United midfielder, has denied claims that he has quitted the French national team over “anti-Islamic” comments attributed to Emmanuel Macron, the country’s president.

The 27-year-old World Cup winner also lambasted The Sun newspaper, which first broke the story on Sunday night.

The British tabloid had quoted middle east sources to have said that Pogba had retired from the country’s football team after Macron alleged that Islam was the source of international terrorism.

Reacting to the bombshell report on his Instagram page on Monday, the former Juventus star slammed the newspaper while denying its report.

“So The Sun did it again… absolutely 100% unfounded news about me are going around, stating things I have never said or thought,” he wrote.

“I am appalled, angry, shocked and frustrated some “media” sources use me to make total fake headlines in the sensible subject of French current events and adding the French National Team to the pot.

“I am against any and all forms of terror and violence. Unfortunately, some press people don’t act responsibly when writing the news, abusing their press freedom, not verifying if what they write/reproduce is true, creating a gossip chain without caring it affects people’s lives and my life.”

A practicing Muslim, Pogba also vowed that he would be taking legal action against The Sun.

“I am taking legal action against the publishers and spreaders of these 100% Fake News. In a quick shout out to The Sun, who normally could not care less: some of you guys probably went to school and will remember how your teacher said to always check your sources, don’t write without making sure,” he added.

“But hey, seems you did it again and in a very serious topic this time, shame on you!”

Pogba, who made his international debut in 2013, was an integral part of the French national team that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

He has played 72 games for France, scoring ten goals.

We will not give in, ever.
We respect all differences in a spirit of peace. We do not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debate. We will always be on the side of human dignity and universal values.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 25, 2020

Macron had earlier this month described Islam as a religion “in crisis”, according to Aljazeera.

He had also announced plans for tougher laws to tackle what he called “Islamist separatism” in France — a development that has provoked Muslims in the country who accused him of trying to repress their religion.