One key moment from Paul Pogba’s Monaco debut has led to a Rennes player making an eye-opening comparison with Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paul Pogba returned to football with Monaco on Saturday after the midfielder came off the bench in the 4-1 Ligue 1 defeat to French side Rennes at the Roazhon Park.
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The former Manchester United star had not played football since 2023 during his second spell with Juventus, with Pogba subsequently serving a ban from the sport.
Pogba tested positive for a doping offence when he was with the Old Lady and the player was initially handed a four-year suspension from professional football.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the sentence in 2024 after a successful appeal and the 32-year-old midfielder was banned for only two years.
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Former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba at the end of the French 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
Rennes forward Breel Embolo makes a powerful point about Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba and Man Utd legend Cristiano Ronaldo
Paul Pogba’s ban was retrospectively dated back to his failed drugs test in 2023, with the former Manchester United midfielder later leaving Juventus in 2024.
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The former Juventus ace signed for Monaco last summer as a free agent and the 2018 World Cup winner’s debut was delayed due to an injury setback.
However, Pogba marked his first Monaco appearance with a spine-tingling reception at the Roazhon Park, including receiving an ovation from the Rennes supporters.
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Speaking after Rennes’ 4-1 win, Breel Embolo said the reaction to Pogba’s debut was comparable to Cristiano Ronaldo’s reception at the World Cup with Portugal.
“I’ve already experienced a World Cup with Cristiano Ronaldo, where there was shouting everywhere,” he explained, as per RMC Sport.
“But Paul deserves it, he’s a very great player, a very great man. Well done to our fans.
“He deserved it, I’m very happy for him, I hope he will bring good things to his team.”
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Rennes midfielder Mahdi Camara reacted to Paul Pogba’s debut in the 4-1 Ligue 1 defeat for Monaco
Pogba shared the pitch with United legend Ronaldo in the tail end of his second playing spell at Old Trafford before his exit from the Premier League club.
Mahdi Camara, much like Rennes teammate Breel Embolo, praised the former Juventus and United midfielder as a “legend of French football” after the match.
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Speaking about Pogba, he said: “Everyone knows Paul Pogba, he’s a legend of French football, he’s simply a football legend.
“It’s great to see him on a Ligue 1 pitch. We’ve already seen… seen how he plays, you can see he’s already at a good level.
Mahdi Camara added: “As spectators, we can’t wait to see him at his peak. It’s fantastic.
“He tried to pull a sombrero on me [laughs]! I’ve been watching videos of Pogba since I was little. I knew he was going to do that! It’s great to see him on the football pitch.”
Monaco manager Sebastien Pocognoli withdrew midfielder Mamadou Coulibaly in the 85th minute and handed Pogba his club debut against Rennes at the weekend.