Paul Pogba has stepped into a new business venture by deciding to invest in a Saudi Arabian camel racing team.
The French World Cup winner has recently returned to football for the first time since September 2023 following a doping ban.
His initial four-year ban was reduced to 19 months on appeal, but an ankle injury delayed his scheduled comeback for Monaco on November 8.
Pogba eventually returned to the pitch to a huge reception in the 4-1 defeat to Stade Rennais 14 days later.
Paul Pogba invests in a camel racing team
Reported by the BBC, Pogba has invested in the Saudi team Al Haboob after watching his “fair share” of camel racing videos on Youtube during his free time.
Camel racing has evolved into a multi-million-dollar business in the Middle East, where investments in racing camels can produce profitable returns.
In 2023, a prize pool of $21million was on offer for the inaugural Camel Cup race held in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
Pogba said: “I’ve watched my fair share of [camel] races on YouTube and spent time doing research in my spare time trying to understand the techniques and strategies.
“And what stood out to me is how much dedication it takes from everyone involved. At the end of the day, sport is sport. It demands heart, sacrifice and teamwork.”
Pogba broke the world record when he became the most expensive player by moving from Juventus to Manchester United in 2016.
Now he has ambitions of owning the most expensive camel. He added: “Being the world’s most expensive footballer was an honour, but it also came with a lot of hard work, pressure and responsibility.
“Owning the world’s most expensive camel one day would be a beautiful full-circle moment – something fun, something meaningful and something that excites me. Maybe one day we make it happen.”
Pogba’s other investments
While investing in a camel racing team might be his most brazen yet, Pogba has diversified his wealth during his playing career.
He reportedly owns properties in Manchester, Paris, Turin and Miami and became an ambassador and investor in an Islamic finance start-up, Wahed in 2022.
Pogba has stepped into the fashion world with collaborations with major brands such as adidas.
He also recently launched a new jewellery range called ‘Unbreakable’. Pogba promoted a series of chains and rings on his Instagram alongside the slogan ‘Forged by Strength, United by Love.’
Prices for a necklace can range from £309 to £209,509.
