Criciúma’s official website published a note confirming the signing of French midfielder Paul Pogba, currently without a club. The incident happened last Monday night (06/01).
Pogba’s announcement, however, was not real. Criciúma’s official website was hacked. Sporting News details the situation.
How was the note about Pogba on the Criciúma website?
The note, on Criciúma’s official website, had the following title: “Paul Pogba is from Tigre! Criciúma surprises the football world and announces the bombastic signing of the French star”.
The publication quickly took off on social media. However, it was hackers who wrote and published the note.
Guys, out of nowhere, Criciúma’s official website announced the signing of Pogba???
— Guilherme⁵⁹¹ Draft season (@Higginsbetta)
Within minutes, Criciúma managed to regain control of the site and removed the note from its news tab.
The club from Santa Catarina was relegated in the last Brasileirão and will compete in Series B in 2025.
Pogba, on the other hand, remains without a defined direction. Corinthians is interested in signing the player.
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Can Pogba play for Corinthians?
On December 12th, during the SBT program “The Noite”, the midfielder said he would be willing to defend Corinthians. It all started when influencer Luva de Pedreiro video called Pogba and asked if he would play for Corinthians. “With Memphis”, replied the Frenchman, who still states that he would play “for free”, in a joking tone. He and the Dutchman played together at Manchester United, in England.
Corinthians fans were euphoric with the possibility and Timão’s directors began to make contact with the midfielder’s staff. However, a proposal was never formalized, due to large amounts.
Pogba’s salary in his last spell at Juventus was high. The midfielder had a gross annual salary of 10.2 million euros (R$55.1 million), according to the website “Capology”. In reais, it was R$4.6 million per month.
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An escort website even offered to pay up to 4 million per month of Pogba’s salary, but Corinthians did not agree to the partnership.
Free on the market after breaking his contract with Juventus, Pogba was punished for doping and will only be able to return to action in March 2025.
Why was Pogba suspended from football?
The Frenchman tested positive for synthetic testosterone during an anti-doping test carried out after the game between Udinese and Juventus, in the Italian Championship, on August 20, 2023. The substance is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The Italian Anti-Doping Court imposed the maximum penalty of four years away from the field, but the athlete’s defense filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and reduced the punishment to 18 months. This way, Pogba will be free to play from March.
– I was informed today of the decision of the National Anti-Doping Court and I believe that the verdict is incorrect. I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I built in my professional playing career was taken away from me. When I am free from legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements in violation of anti-doping regulations. As a professional athlete, I would never do anything to improve my performance using banned substances and I have never disrespected or deceived fellow athletes and fans of any of the teams I played for or against. As a consequence of the decision announced today, I will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport – said the player, via social media.
