Paul Pogba made his long-awaited return to professional football on Saturday evening, coming on as a late substitute for AS Monaco in their 4-1 defeat to Rennes
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has finally made his eagerly-anticipated debut for Monaco, though he was thrust into a nightmare situation with his team trailing 4-0. Pogba hadn’t featured in competitive action for two years following a four-year doping suspension that was subsequently cut to 18 months on appeal.
Following 811 days on the sidelines, Pogba can once again consider himself an active player after a brief yet undoubtedly fulfilling 10-minute appearance on Saturday night. Sadly, Monaco were being demolished 4-0 by Rennes when Pogba entered the fray.
Former Arsenal forward Mika Biereth pulled one back deep into stoppage time but strikes from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Bias had placed Rennes firmly in the driving seat.
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Regarding Pogba’s performance, he registered 17 touches and completed 14 passes from 15 attempts. In defensive terms, he recorded two ball recoveries and one interception.
The world champion has now revealed his emotions on playing again after being absent for more than two years due to his suspension and subsequent fitness issues.
Speaking in the mixed zone, as reported by RMC Sport, Pogba said: “I was disappointed to lose this match. It’s Paul Pogba’s return, but I play for Monaco, and I don’t like losing. I was really happy on one hand, but on the other, I was disappointed with the result and what we did on the pitch.
“It touched me, the reception. Seeing the crowd stand up and applaud, I wasn’t expecting that. A big thank you to the fans who personally supported me.
“The feeling was good, I wanted to bring good energy, not concede a goal, enjoy myself, it’s been a long time. I’m relieved to be back playing football, what I love most in the world. There’s still work to do to get back to full fitness.”
He said: “We have a session today [Friday] so we’ll see. If it goes well, he can be there. He has had a run of sessions, and the feedback is positive. He has been able to test himself in match conditions. There are good signs.”
It wouldn’t have been the comeback to football Pogba would have probably been envisioning, but simply being back playing the game he adores will have almost certainly felt like a monumentally important milestone.
Pogba will now be hoping to step up his involvement over the forthcoming weeks and also feature in the Champions League for the first time in more than three-and-a-half years.
Monaco face Cypriot outfit Pafos next Tuesday as they aim to build upon the five points already secured from four fixtures. Pogba’s team then take on defending Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain that weekend.
After signing for the French side as a free agent in June 2025, Pogba was given a tailored training plan to get him match fit. His return was expected against Paris FC earlier this month, but a minor injury put his comeback on hold.
