Paul Pogba marks 31st birthday by opening up on struggles across nightmare 12 months as Juventus star faces up to four-year doping ban

The former Manchester United star opened up about his life struggles in the past year as he celebrated his 31st birthday with his family. Pogba was plagued with multiple injuries in the last two seasons and had appeared in just two games in the current campaign for Juventus before failing a dope test last year. In February, the player was found guilty and was handed a lengthy four-year ban.

Sharing some photographs from his birthday on Instagram, the 31-year-old wrote in the caption, "I have never learned and grown so much in one year. The tests that Allah sends are inevitable and it’s easy to only see the bad things but whatever happens. Al hamdoulilah. Al hamdoulilah for the good, the bad, the tough times and the times of ease."

The Frenchman's former United teammate and close friend Jesse Lingard shared a short but sweet birthday message for his best mate on Instagram. Lingard and Pogba graduated from the Red Devils' youth academy and were teammates at the club after Pogba returned to Old Trafford in 2016.

Juventus are considering terminating the player's contract who is all set to appeal the ban. Amid his suspension, Broke Boys – a team from Russia’s celebrity-hosted Media Football League - have reportedly offered the player to join them.