Paul Pogba, AS Monaco midfielder, becomes shareholder in camel racing team
Paul Pogba invests in camel racing © Al Haboob
The 2018 World Cup champion is expanding his investment portfolio by partnering with Al Haboob, a Saudi team that is pioneering the professionalisation of the traditional sport.
Another string to his investor’s bow: on Tuesday 10 December, Paul Pogba officially became a shareholder in Al Haboob, a Saudi organisation and the world’s first professional camel racing team. “I have always been someone who likes to try new things and do things differently, whether in the way I play, express myself or approach life off the pitch. That mindset has also followed me into the business world,” said the four-time Serie A winner with Juventus in a statement from Al Haboob.
The French player is also taking on an ambassadorial role for the organisation, founded by Omar Almaeena and Safwan Modir. The team, based in Saudi Arabia, competes in events in the United Arab Emirates and in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. “I want to be part of a project that goes beyond sport, that brings people together and highlights traditions that deserve to be celebrated. Joining Al Haboob made me feel like I was being welcomed into a new family.”
International ambitions
The founders of Al Haboob aim to create a professional camel racing league with international reach. The two entrepreneurs, already known for their participation in the Netflix documentary series Camel Quest, launched their venture in the field in 2021 with the RedSea Camel Company before building their competition stable in 2024. The team highlights its technical standards, notably the use of robot jockeys equipped with GPS systems and heart monitors, as well as specialised veterinary supervision.
For Pogba, who is currently under contract with AS Monaco, the investment represents a move into a sporting universe radically different from football. He is the first professional footballer to invest in the sector.