Paul Pogba Makes Football Comeback

Paul Pogba has finally returned to professional football on Sunday after spending more than 800 days away from the game, making his long-awaited Monaco debut.

His appearance came 811 days after his last competitive match, marking a major milestone in a journey that many thought might end his career.

The 2018 World Cup winner came on in the 85th minute at Roazhon Park, where Monaco faced Rennes. Supporters applauded as he stepped onto the pitch, recognising how much effort and patience had brought him to this point.

Although the game was already out of Monaco’s reach, the moment carried emotional weight for Pogba, who had been working for months to return.

By the time he was introduced, Monaco were losing 4-0 after a difficult performance marked by defensive mistakes and a first-half red card to captain Denis Zakaria. Mika Biereth scored a late consolation goal, but the 4-1 defeat meant Monaco suffered the same scoreline for the second week running. The team dropped to eighth in Ligue 1, but Pogba’s focus was simply on playing again.

His return follows a challenging period that nearly ended his time in football. In August 2023, while at Juventus, he tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). That resulted in a provisional suspension, followed by a four-year ban in February 2024.

Pogba explained that he had taken a contaminated supplement without realising it, and his legal team proved this argument, which led to the ban being reduced. He received permission to play again in March 2025. By then, Juventus had ended his contract, and he had not played a competitive match for over two years. Monaco decided to take a chance on him, and Sunday’s match marked the start of his new chapter.

“There were a lot of emotions. I was happy, but there’s a bit of sadness with the result.
We’ve come a long way. Today was a step to take.

I did it, and I’m happy about that. As for the rest, we’re a bit gutted to have lost. I feel good; there’s been a lot of hard work. I still need time to get fit and play 90 minutes.

But that will come with time. We’re training for it. We’re going to try to help the team as much as possible. It felt strange at first to be back on the plane with the group. I’ve settled in well. We have a very good group. We’re getting back into the right routine,” he told Ligue 1+.

Reports from L’Equipe say Monaco’s medical team will use a gradual plan, increasing his minutes until he can complete full matches with short recovery periods. Pogba still dreams of a return to the French national team and believes he can reach the 2026 World Cup if he performs consistently in Ligue 1.

With 91 caps and 11 goals, he hopes this season gives him the chance to impress Didier Deschamps again.

“The objectives? In the short term, to get back to 100%, play 90 minutes, and contribute as much as possible to my team. Today, it’s about playing with my team. The World Cup is a long way off. Today, there’s step 1, step 2. If I were to do the World Cup, it would be a bonus,” he said

Source: Goal.com