Former Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba has finally spoken out after he returned to football for the first time with Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.
Paul Pogba made his Monaco debut on Saturday after the ex-Manchester United ace came off the bench in the club’s 4-1 thumping at the hands of Rennes.
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Monaco manager Sebastien Pocognoli turned to the 32-year-old Frenchman and subbed Pogba on for Monaco midfielder Mamadou Coulibaly in the 85th minute.
Pogba made a brief cameo appearance on Saturday evening for 10-man Monaco, with Denis Zakaria sent off for Sebastien Pocognoli in the 66th minute of the tie.
The 2018 World Cup winner signed for the French club as a free agent back in the summer, but Pogba’s debut for Monaco had been delayed due to injury setbacks.
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Former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba at the end of the Ligue 1 football match between Stade Rennais and Monaco at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, France, in 2025.
Photo by Lou BENOIST / AFP via Getty Images
Paul Pogba had not played professional football since 2023 after the former France international was hit with a ban during his second ill-fated spell with Juventus.
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The French midfielder received a doping suspension in 2024 after a failed drugs test found that Pogba had elevated levels of testosterone in his system.
Pogba was initially banned from football for four years and his sentence was retrospectively dated back to when he failed his initial drugs test in 2023.
But the ex-Juventus and Manchester United midfielder’s ban was reduced to 18 months after he successfully appealed it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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Speaking after Monaco’s defeat at the Roazhon Park in Rennes, Pogba admitted that the 4-1 result against his side overshadowed an emotional return to football for him.
“There were a lot of emotions. I was happy, but there’s a bit of sadness with the result,” he told Ligue 1 Plus, as per RMC Sport.
“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.”
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Ex-Man Utd and Juventus ace Paul Pogba sends a message about his form and playing for Monaco now
Ahead of Monaco’s match on Saturday, Pogba’s last professional appearance in football came in September 2023 during Juventus’ 2-0 Serie A win over Empoli.
Pogba’s second spell at Juventus was curtailed by injuries after he re-signed for the Old Lady in 2024 following his second exit from Old Trafford as a free agent.
The Monaco midfielder has admitted that it will take time for him to return to full fitness, but Pogba said it was a “strange” feeling getting ready to play football again.
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“I feel good; there’s been a lot of hard work,” Pogba added.
“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.”
Pogba’s second spell at Serie A side Juventus ended in 2024 after the former United player’s contract at the Turin-based club was terminated by mutual agreement.