Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba made his long-awaited return to football on Saturday and he's has been supported by some of his old teammates.
Paul Pogba walking on the pitch.
Paul Pogba made his long-awaited return for Monaco on Saturday.(Image: Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
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Members of the Manchester United squad have made their feelings on Paul Pogba clear after the midfielder made his long-awaited return to the pitch on Saturday evening.
The 32-year-old spent several years at United across two spells, having initially joined the club aged 16. He departed for Juventus as a free agent in 2012, but returned for a then world-record fee in 2016.
He amassed over 230 appearances across all competitions during that time - scoring 39 goals and registering 51 assists. Pogba then rejoined Juventus in 2022 at the end of his contract, but made his last competitive outing for the Serie A club in September 2023.
The Frenchman was handed a provisional four-year ban from football in February 2024 after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a result that came from a sample taken the previous August. Pogba has always insisted it was a mistake and he had been given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.
His ban was eventually reduced and he was permitted to return to football in March this year. He was without a club after his contract with Juventus was terminated by mutual agreement towards the end of 2024.
Pogba returned to France to join Ligue 1 side Monaco on a free transfer in June, but had to wait to make his debut as he needed to rebuild his fitness after such a long absence. On Saturday, he came off the bench in their 4-1 defeat to Rennes, marking his first appearance in more than two years.
Members of the current United squad, including captain Bruno Fernandes, took to social media to congratulate Pogba on his return. The Portuguese playmaker shared a post on his Instagram story of Pogba - followed by the caption: "Pogbaaaaaack."
The message posted by Bruno Fernandes about Paul Pogba - on Instagram.
The message posted by Bruno Fernandes about Paul Pogba - on Instagram.
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Bryan Mbeumo, who joined United from Brentford during the summer transfer window just gone, also posted on Instagram. He re-shared a clip from Monaco's official account showing Pogba coming on as a substitute, followed by a holding-back-tears emoji and heart emojis.
It was not the exact return Pogba would have wanted as his side succumbed to a 4-1 loss, although they were already four behind and a man down when he took to the pitch - in the 85th minute. The result leaves Monaco eighth in the Ligue 1 standings, level on points with Lille, who have a game-in-hand.
With minutes now under his belt, Pogba will no doubt hope to play a role in some huge games coming up for the French side over the next week. They first meet Pafos away in the Champions League on Wednesday night, which will be followed by the visit of Paris Saint-Germain next weekend.
United, meanwhile, return to action on Monday night with a test against Everton in the Premier League. Next weekend, they will take on Crystal Palace away from home.
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