World Cup-winning former Manchester United footballer Paul Pogba has become an investor in the world’s first pro camel racing team, Saudi Arabia-based Al Haboob.
Pogba, who now plays for Monaco after returning from a ban for anti-doping breaches, has also been named an ambassador for the team, which competes across the Middle East.
“I’ve watched my fair share of [camel] races on YouTube and spent time doing research in my spare time trying to understand the techniques and strategies,” he told the BBC.
“And what stood out to me is how much dedication it takes from everyone involved. At the end of the day, sport is sport. It demands heart, sacrifice and teamwork.
“People might not realise it, but sport always connects in some way. Whether it’s football, camel racing, boxing – the foundations are similar.
“You need determination, you need focus, you need discipline and grit. That’s what makes champions at the end of the day.”
Camel racing has a long heritage in the Arab world but has been modernised in recent times, replacing human jockeys with remote-controlled robots.
Pogba: I want to own most expensive camel
Al Haboob’s founders Omar Almaeena and Safwan Modir have ambitions to launch the world’s first camel racing league and appeared in a Netflix documentary about the sport.
France international Pogba, who became the world’s most expensive footballer when he joined United for £89m in 2016, joins music producer Swizz Beatz as a camel racing investor.
“Paul’s involvement is transformational,” said Almaeena, a former camel jockey who represented his native Saudi Arabia internationally.
“His influence, leadership, and passion for cultural storytelling reflect exactly what Al Haboob stands for. This partnership is about more than racing; it is about sharing a heritage that deserves global recognition.”
Pogba added: “Being the world’s most expensive footballer was an honour, but it also came with a lot of hard work, pressure and responsibility.
“Owning the world’s most expensive camel one day would be a beautiful full-circle moment – something fun, meaningful and that excites me. Maybe one day we will make it happen.”