Paul Pogba’s name has rarely stayed out of the headlines these past few years, but his most dramatic storyline has not come from the pitch.
In 2022, the World Cup winner found himself at the centre of a scandal that sounded like it was pulled from a crime thriller: his own brother, Mathias Pogba, publicly accused him of using witchcraft and was later implicated in an alleged extortion attempt.
It was a feud that shocked fans, not just because of its bizarre details, but because it was a reminder of football’s less glamorous side, how family ties, money, and fame can twist into painful knots.
On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Pogba appeared to signal a reconciliation. On Instagram, he shared videos and pictures with his brothers, captioning them with a short but powerful phrase: “Longue vie à mes frères”, long life to my brothers.
Paul Pogba ‘forgives’ brothers after spiritual attacks and extortion plot
It was a truce few expected, but one that reignited conversations about how often family disputes spill into the careers of top footballers.
Pogba is not the only one to walk down that painful road. Across generations, several stars of the game have seen their biggest battles fought not against defenders on the pitch, but against the very people closest to them.
From public fallouts to lifelong rifts, these players show how family struggles can haunt even the brightest careers.
Paul Pogba
When Mathias Pogba uploaded a string of videos in 2022 accusing his younger brother Paul of witchcraft and threatening to reveal “damaging secrets,” the football world was stunned.
The scandal later escalated into an extortion investigation, with French police looking into claims that Pogba had been pressured by childhood friends and even his own brother for money.
For months, the family feud overshadowed his football, leaving the AS Monaco star battling not just injuries but also whispers of betrayal.
His recent post with Mathias and Florentino hints at forgiveness, but the scars of the saga remain.
Mario Balotelli
Balotelli’s career has been a constant swirl of talent and controversy, but his deepest wound stems from his family. Born in Palermo to Ghanaian immigrants, Balotelli was placed in foster care at a young age and raised by the Balotelli family in Brescia.
When his biological parents attempted to reconnect with him after his rise to stardom, Balotelli felt their intentions were tied more to fame and money than love. For years, he spoke bitterly about being “abandoned,” insisting that the Balotellis were his true parents.
His complicated relationship with his roots often left him caught between two worlds.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Few family feuds in football have been as public, and as dramatic, as Emmanuel Adebayor’s. The Togolese striker, who played for Arsenal, Manchester City, and
Tottenham, once took to Facebook to share a series of posts accusing his family of draining him financially.
He claimed his mother was using witchcraft against him and that relatives pressured him to constantly provide money.
Adebayor’s emotional posts painted a picture of a man torn between cultural obligations and personal freedom, turning a private struggle into global headlines.
Diego Maradona
The late Argentine icon also endured difficult family moments. His relationships with his daughters and former partners were often played out in public, with disputes over inheritance, lifestyle, and control of his fortune dominating headlines toward the end of his life.
According to VOA, before he passed on, he threatened to donate all his wealth, including properties, luxury cars and sponsorship contracts, to charity.
“I know that now, as you get older, people are more concerned about what you leave behind than what you are doing. And I tell them all that I’m not going to leave them anything, that I’m going to give it all away. Everything I’ve got in my life, I’m going to give away,” he said.
The theme runs wide in football. Brazilian star Neymar has clashed with relatives over the management of his career.
Former England international Jermaine Pennant wrote about his turbulent relationship with his parents in his autobiography.
Even Lionel Messi, despite his famously close-knit family, has faced public criticism when relatives have been accused of using his name for personal gain.
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