Pogba returns after a two-year suspension and says he is relieved to be able to play football again

Paul Pogba described his emotional debut in Monaco on Saturday as a moment of relief and gratitude after the French midfielder returned to the field for the first time in more than two years following a doping ban.

The former Juventus and Manchester United player, who joined Ligue 1 on a free transfer in June, had not played a competitive match since September 2023.

Pogba was handed a four-year ban in February 2024 after testing positive for the banned substance DHEA, which increases testosterone levels. The suspension was reduced to 18 months after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The 32-year-old, who was closing in on a return last month before suffering a right ankle injury, came on in the 85th minute of Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Rennes at Roazhon Park to a standing ovation.

«When I saw the crowd stand up and applaud, I never thought this would happen,» Pogba told reporters. “I am relieved to be able to play football again, which is what I love most in the world.

“But there is still work to be done to get back to full fitness and be able to play 90 minutes… If I don’t perform well in Monaco, I can forget about the French national team.

“I believe in myself and my abilities, and because I knew I had done nothing wrong and that it was not my fault, I never lost hope.”

Monaco face Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday and host Paris St Germain in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Published on November 23, 2025