Paul Pogba isn’t the only French player to witness a massive downfall – Here’s a look at 3 others who declined rapidly

Juventus star Paul Pogba has been banned from football for four years for doping. The France international, 30, has vowed to fight the embargo, but his future has been plunged into uncertainty following the ruling which has shocked the football world.

The former Manchester United player was provisionally suspended in September last year by Italy’s national anti-doping organization after testing positive for a banned substance called DHEA. But now, the four-year ban essentially jeopardizes his already fledgling career.

Also Read: BREAKING: Paul Pogba banned from football for 4 years following doping charges

Having carved a niche at Juventus during his early years, Pogba secured a big-money move back to his boyhood club Manchester United in 2016. Following a turbulent six-year spell, he returned to Turin, but has since been blighted by injuries. Now, it has all come to head with the veto.

Nonetheless, he isn’t the only French player to have witnessed a steep decline in his career. Here are three more promising stars who crashed and burnt:

Anthony Martial

Once hailed as the next Thierry Henry, Anthony Martial had the world at his feet when he joined Manchester United in 2015. Worth £36 million at the time, he was the most expensive teenager and had even scored a wonderful goal on his debut against Liverpool. Fast forward your calendar by over eight years, and he’s completely unrecognizable. Far from being a Thierry Henry, Martial has fallen out of favor at the club. Most of his 13 appearances in the Premier League this season have come off the bench and has missed the last couple of months with a groin injury.

Things got so bad that he was even loaned out to La Liga side Sevilla during the 2021-22 season. Martial failed to impress there too, scoring just once in 12 games, before returning to United, where he showed flashes of his previous self, but only in bits and parts. This season has been another one of struggle and disappointment for the once promising forward.

Clement Lenglet

A move to Barcelona from Sevilla in 2018 was supposed to propel his burgeoning career further, but the Frenchman couldn’t adapt to the new surroundings. In his last season at the club, the 2021-22, Lenglet even lost his place in the XI, paving the way for a loan spell to Tottenham Hotspur the following campaign. He enjoyed a memorable spell with the London side under Antonio Conte, before jumping ships to Aston Villa last summer.

However, it hasn’t been as successful as he’d hoped for. The defender has made only nine appearances in the Premier League this season, with all of them coming since December as he’d spent the first four months of their campaign on the bench. It’s a far cry from the star that Lenglet came to become at Sevilla, and during the first two years at Barcelona too.

Samuel Umtiti

Samuel Umtiti was an integral part of the France squad alongside Pogba that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But just like Pogba, it’s all gone downhill for him ever since. Recurring injuries hampered him year after year, reducing him to a substitute role at Barcelona. In his last three seasons at the club, Umtiti didn’t even managed 15 appearances in La Liga. He then loaned to Serie A side Lecce for the 2022-23 season, when they had gained promotion to the Italian top-flight. Last season, the Blaugrana officially terminated their contract with the centre-back, who then returned to France with Lille. Nine months in, and it’s been another nightmare for Umtiti. The Frenchman has made only six appearances in Ligue 1 as he’s struggled to break into their starting lineup.

Also Read: “The full story will become clear” – Paul Pogba vows to fight 4-year ban