Taking a break after the end of the Premier League season, Man Utd midfielder Paul Pogba and Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma have shared pictures and videos of a recent visit to the holy city of Makkah for Umrah, Manchester Evening News reported.
On Instagram, Pogba shared the pictures of himself and friends, including Kurt Zouma, in Makkah alongside the caption “Never forget the important things in life.”
The players jetted off to Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of the Premier League on Sunday as they joined millions of Muslims at the holy city on the holy month of Ramadan.
The 26-year-old regularly makes the Umrah pilgrimage to celebrate Ramadan.
Despite all of this wealth, all his swagger and fame, Pogba is first and foremost a devout Muslim, one who doesn’t have a problem with discarding his flashy clothes to don a simple white robe while on a pilgrimage to Makkah.
Pogba hails from the Muslim West African country of Guinea where Islam defines no less than 85% of its total population, according to the 2013 estimate of the United States Department of State.
The Muslim soccer star was born in a Parisian district which he described as “the hood”. With drugs rampant in the area, football was the only escape.
And without his religiously devoted mother, Yeo, football might have never brought him the fame and fortune he enjoys today. Yeo and Paul share a strong relationship; Paul gave Yeo his World Cup medal.
When he helped Manchester United in winning the 2017 Europa League, he went to Makkah to give thanks to Allah for the successful season. He made a similar trip ahead of the 2018 World Cup.