Pogba back
After two years: world champion celebrates comeback
November 23, 2025 – 4:40 a.mReading time: 1 min.
After a break of over two years, Paul Pogba is back on the pitch – and is celebrating his debut in Ligue 1. He is celebrated by the fans when he comes on as a substitute for Monaco.
Paul Pogba played a competitive game in professional football for the first time in more than two years. The 32-year-old came on as a substitute in the 85th minute of AS Monaco’s 4-1 defeat at Stade Rennes on matchday 13 of Ligue 1. The spectators at Roazhon Park received him with a standing ovation and loudly cheered his first touches of the ball.
The midfielder last played on September 3, 2023. This was followed by a two-year doping ban and several injuries. In 2016, Manchester United paid a transfer fee of 105 million euros for Pogba.
Pogba moved to Monaco in the summer. The 91-time national player has been eligible to play again since March after his ban due to high testosterone levels. In November 2024, his contract with Juventus Turin was terminated. Pogba has always denied using banned substances to improve performance. However, he admitted that he had taken a dietary supplement whose package leaflet referred to performance-enhancing substances.
Remarkable: Pogba played in the top league of his home country for the first time on Saturday. He was trained at Le Havre’s youth academy before returning to Ligue 1 after stints at Manchester United and Juventus Turin.