Paul Pogba Completes Remarkable Return to Football with Monaco Appearance
After an 811-day absence marked by a doping ban and family scandal, the 32-year-old midfielder came on as a substitute in Monaco’s 4-1 loss to Rennes on Saturday, November 22, 2025, receiving a standing ovation from supporters.
Paul Pogba’s journey back to professional football is a story of resilience, controversy, and ultimately, a second chance. The 2018 World Cup winner stepped onto the pitch for AS Monaco in Ligue 1, marking his first competitive appearance since September 3, 2023, when he played for Juventus against Empoli. But the road back has been anything but straightforward.
From Manchester United Prodigy to Juventus Return
Pogba’s career trajectory has been one of peaks and valleys. After leaving Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012, he flourished at Juventus, winning Serie A four times and the Coppa Italia twice. In 2016, he returned to United for a then-world-record fee of £89.3 million, a transfer heralded with the social media hashtag #POGBACK.
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While he enjoyed moments of brilliance, winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup in his first season, consistency proved elusive. Relationships with managers Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ralf Rangnick fractured, and his second stint at United ultimately ended on a free transfer in June 2022. He expressed gratitude to the club and its supporters on social media, stating he felt “privileged” to have played for Manchester United.
A Second Stint at Juventus and the Shadow of Controversy
Pogba opted to rejoin Juventus in July 2022, a move the club celebrated with the hashtag #PogbackToBack.
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However, injuries quickly plagued his return, and his relationship with manager Massimiliano Allegri reportedly deteriorated. Adding to the turmoil, in September 2022, Pogba became embroiled in a disturbing extortion plot involving his brother, Mathias, who was later taken into custody by French authorities along with five others. Prosecutors investigated allegations that Mathias and associates attempted to extort €13 million (approximately $13 million) from the midfielder. Mathias Pogba himself had a prior professional football career, playing for clubs like Partick Thistle and Wrexham.
Doping Ban and Appeal
The situation took a dramatic turn in September 2023 when Pogba tested positive for DHEA – a banned substance – after a Juventus match against Udinese. A subsequent B sample confirmed the presence of testosterone metabolites. This led to a provisional suspension from Nado Italia, the Italian anti-doping agency. Pogba maintained his innocence, claiming he unknowingly ingested the substance through contaminated supplements. Despite his protestations, he was handed a four-year ban in February 2024.
Pogba appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing he had never intentionally violated anti-doping regulations. In October 2024, CAS reduced the ban to 18 months, acknowledging a lack of intent and attributing the positive test to the erroneous consumption of a supplement prescribed by a doctor in Florida. “Finally the nightmare is over,” Pogba stated following the CAS ruling. He even admitted to contemplating retirement in the wake of the initial four-year ban.
A New Chapter with AS Monaco
With his suspension lifted, Pogba’s contract with Juventus was mutually terminated in November 2024. He subsequently joined AS Monaco on a free transfer in June 2025, turning down a lucrative offer from the Saudi Pro League, according to sources. After recovering from a minor ankle injury sustained in training, he was named in the squad to face Rennes on November 20, 2025.
On November 22nd, 811 days after his last competitive match, Pogba entered the game in the 85th minute against Rennes. The reception was overwhelmingly positive, with supporters at Roazhon Park rising to their feet to applaud his return. “Football isn’t over for me,” Pogba told reporters afterward, according to AFP. “We’ve worked hard, we’ve waited more than two years to get back, and today, it finally happened. Thank God. It really touched me to see the crowd stand and applaud. I honestly didn’t expect that, so a huge thank-you to all the fans who were there today and supported me.”
