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Pogba Decides against Knee Surgery to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive

03 November 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia, Moenchengladbach: Then Juventus's Paul Pogba reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group D soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Juventus. (dpa)
03 November 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia, Moenchengladbach: Then Juventus's Paul Pogba reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group D soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Juventus. (dpa)
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Pogba Decides against Knee Surgery to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive

03 November 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia, Moenchengladbach: Then Juventus's Paul Pogba reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group D soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Juventus. (dpa)
03 November 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia, Moenchengladbach: Then Juventus's Paul Pogba reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group D soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Juventus. (dpa)

Paul Pogba has decided not to go undergo surgery on his knee and will bank on rest and rehabilitation getting him fit in time to play for France at the World Cup finals later this year, media reports said on Wednesday.

The Juventus midfielder damaged his meniscus in one of his first training sessions with his new club late last month while they were on tour in Los Angeles.

Surgery would rule him out of the Qatar World Cup from Nov. 21-Dec. 18 and Pogba, who has 91 caps for his country, would instead opt for "conservative therapy".

Italy's Tuttosport said the regime would consist of three weeks in the gym and swimming pool then two weeks of individual work. All going well, Pogba would return in time to be able to prepare for the World Cup where France start their campaign against Australia in Doha on Nov. 22.

French sports daily L'Equipe said on Wednesday that Pogba's decision had put him on collision course with his new club, who wanted him to undergo surgery and miss the World Cup so that he could be back for them in the second part of the season.

Pogba returned to Juventus after several tumultuous seasons at Manchester United.

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Belgian Coach Tedesco Still Believes He’s the Right Man for the Job

Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Belgian Coach Tedesco Still Believes He’s the Right Man for the Job

Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)

Belgium's 1-0 defeat by Israel in the Nations League on Sunday has ramped up the pressure on Domenico Tedesco but the coach still believes he is the right man for the job.

Belgium have won just two of their last 10 internationals and only avoided bottom place in their group, and relegation from the top tier, because of better head-to-head results against the Israelis.

The 39-year-old has come under scrutiny since Belgium's disappointing exit at the European Championship and while the defeat in Budapest on Sunday did little to ease the pressure Tedesco remained positive about his role.

"I trust my qualities. I trust my staff, I trust my players. I trust the people around me. I know how hard I work," he said.

Belgium's timid tactics have been criticized throughout the six-game campaign despite Tedesco promising a more adventurous approach after they limped out to France in the last 16 at Euro 2024 in July.

"After the Euros I told you that we have to change something in some games, we missed intensity, and that we have to try new players because if we don't do it now we will never do it," Tedesco told reporters.

"This campaign was different because of many, many injuries."

Belgium were without a host of key players for their last group game on Sunday and lost the match late on after a horror defensive error from new cap Matte Smets.

"It was a difficult game, difficult circumstances, and it's difficult to say something harsh to this young team," said Tedesco.

"We are better equipped now to go into the next year's World Cup qualifiers."

While his future was the subject of much debate in Belgium after the loss to Israel, Tedesco was not letting it get to him.

"The negative sentiment is nothing new. I was told this is typically Belgian," he added.

"Naturally the results in the Nations League did not help but in March we have a sort of final in the playoffs to keep our place in the A League. It will be good to start the New Year with a strong focus."