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Paul Pogba makes stunning career move and joins world's first pro camel racing team

Paul Pogba recently made his return to football - but the former Manchester United midfielder has now made another career move with a venture into camel racing

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(Image: Al Haboob)

Paul Pogba has traded the glitz and glam of Monaco for the deserts of the Middle East with his latest career venture.

The ex-Manchester United star, 32, has stunned fans with a career move into camel racing - joining the world's first professional team in a bizarre new venture. Pogba, sadly, won't be racing the animals himself - instead he's signed as an ambassador and shareholder.

Pogba joked it was an easy decision to make when he was presented with the team's ambition to "elevate camel racing". The Monaco man said: "I am incredibly excited to be joining forces with Al Haboob.

[Camels with robot jockeys race during an event organised by the Qatar Camel Racing Organising Committee in Al-Shahaniya, about 40km west of Doha, in January 2025]

Paul Pogba described the venture as ambitious(Image: KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

"From the moment I spoke with Omar and Safwan, I felt their passion, their vision, and their genuine love for this sport. They are forward-thinking entrepreneurs who want to build something meaningful.

"And that energy is contagious - its something I picked up on from our very first meeting. Their ambition to elevate camel racing onto a global stage is something I truly connect with.

"Throughout my career, Ive been blessed with many opportunities and proposals, but this one felt different. It spoke to me on a deeper level - to culture, to legacy, to storytelling.

[Paul Pogba]

Paul Pogba signed on the dotted line for the "historic deal"(Image: Al Haboob)

"I want to be part of a project that goes beyond sport, one that brings people together and shines a light on traditions that deserve to be celebrated. Joining Al Haboob felt like being invited into a new family, and saying yes was an easy decision."

He added: "Ive always been someone who wants to try new things and do things differently - whether its how I play, how I express myself, or how I approach life off the pitch. That mindset has followed me into my business world too.

"I look for unique, exciting opportunities that challenge me and allow me to grow. Al Haboob represents exactly that: something fresh, something meaningful, and something exciting while staying true to who I am."

[Paul Pogba is a shareholder and ambassador for Al Haboob]

Paul Pogba is a shareholder and ambassador for Al Haboob(Image: Al Haboob)

The Saudi-based team are competing across the UAE and GCC as the involvement of the 2018 World Cup winner is certainly quite the coup for a sport looking to make global headway.

Founded by Omar Almaeena and Safwan Modir, the pair aim to establish the worlds first professional Camel Racing League and it was the former who described Pogba's partnership as special.

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Almaeena and Modir's journey into the sport began in 2021 when they co-created and starred in the Netflix series Camel Quest.

The show not only shone a light on how prevalent camel culture is across Saudi Arabia but illustrated their ambition to compete in major festivals.

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