The Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has become the latest footballer to have his house burgled while he was playing in a high-profile game.
The French international described the five-minute break-in as “our family’s worst nightmare” and said his children were asleep in their bedrooms at the time.
Pogba said he discovered he had been burgled minutes after Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday, a game in which he had appeared as a second-half substitute.
He tweeted: “The burglars were in our home for less than five minutes but in that time they took from us something more valuable than anything we had in our home … our sense of safety and security.”
He added: “This occurred during the final minutes of last night’s match when they knew that we would not be home. My wife and I rushed home not knowing if our children were safe and unharmed.
“As a father there is no feeling worse in this world than not being there to protect your children and I sincerely hope that no one ever has to feel what I felt last night.”
Pogba also offered a reward to “anyone who has a clue to help us”.
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) March 16, 2022
Pogba’s United teammate Victor Lindelöf was the victim of what he described as a “very traumatic” break-in at his house as he played against Brentford in January.
The Swedish defender’s home was targeted while he was in London, forcing his wife to lock herself and their two children in a room for safety during the burglary.
In February 2019 the house of the Liverpool striker Sadio Mané was burgled when he was playing in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
During another Champions League match in 2007, the home of the Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard was also targeted.
His wife, Alex, confronted the gang who demanded she hand over jewellery and the contents of a safe or else they would “take her kids”.
The former England captain Wayne Rooney had his Cheshire mansion burgled while he was playing in his testimonial in August 2016.
