France ousts star midfielder Pogba after testing positive for COVID-19

Paul Pogba is out of the French football squad (sky.com)

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The French national football team made the tough decision of dropping midfielder Paul Pogba from its roster after he contracted COVID-19.

With a heavy heart, the French national coaching staff had to make the cut to protect each and everyone’s health from the players, coaches, to the practice team personnel.

“I had to make a change at the last minute because Paul Pogba was supposed to be in the squad. Unfortunately for him, he had a test yesterday which was positive this morning,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.

The Manchester United booter was replaced by a 17-year-old teen sensation in Eduardo Camavinga for the approaching National League qualifiers against Sweden and Croatia.

Pogba was found out to be positive after the national team’s testing before hitting the pitch for practice.

With Pogba’s loss, coach Deschamps has high hopes with late replacement Camavinga who he referred to as one of the future faces of French football.

Despite being only 17-years old, the youngster Camavinga steered his squad Rennes to an outstanding championship run in a victory against Paris-Saint German.