French midfielder Paul Pogba returned to professional football on Saturday. The former Manchester United and Juventus star made his debut for AS Monaco after a career-halting 811-day absence.
The 32-year-old entered as an 85th-minute substitute during Monaco’s 4-1 away loss to Rennes. This marked his first competitive match since September 3, 2023.
Pogba’s career was derailed by a major doping ban. Italy’s anti-doping court initially gave him a four-year ban in February 2024 after he tested positive for testosterone.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport later reduced the suspension to 18 months in October 2024. This decision allowed him to resume his career sooner. His journey back was also emotional. Pogba wept with emotion when signing a two-year contract with Monaco during the offseason. This move was a strategic effort to restart his playing career.
😍 𝙇𝙀𝙎 𝙁𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙎𝙊𝙉𝙎 !
L'ovation du public du Roazhon Park pour le retour de Paul Pogba 🥹
Crédits : @ligue1plus 📹 pic.twitter.com/dAqLJOv9Xs
— Prime Video Sport France (@PVSportFR) November 23, 2025At his peak, Pogba was one of the world’s best midfielders. He famously scored for France in the 2018 World Cup final, helping his nation secure a 4-2 victory over Croatia.
His club career included high-profile transfers. In 2016, he became the world’s most expensive player when Manchester United paid Juventus €105 million for his services. After his return to Juventus, his playing time was limited before the doping scandal emerged. He ultimately left the Italian club in November 2024 before joining Monaco.
Read: Paul Pogba Signs with Monaco to Revive Career After Two-Year Hiatus
In other Ligue 1 action, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Le Havre 3-0. Goals from Lee Kang-in, João Neves, and Bradley Barcola secured the win.
This victory pushes PSG back to the top of the league standings. They now sit two points clear of both Marseille and Lens. Lens remains in the chase after a 1-0 win over Strasbourg. Defender Ismaelo Ganiou scored his first league goal in the 69th minute. The match saw both teams finish with 10 men after late red cards.
