Paul Pogba is finally on the brink of stepping back onto a football pitch after more than two years out, with Monaco reportedly preparing to welcome him into their matchday squad this weekend. The 32-year-old has not played a competitive minute since September 3, 2023, when he featured briefly in Juventus’ 2-0 win over Empoli, a cameo that would become his last act in Turin before his career spiralled into uncertainty.
A return few thought possible
The midfielder’s career took a dramatic turn in August 2023 when he tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that elevates testosterone levels, after a match against Udinese. Pogba insisted from the outset that the substance had entered his system inadvertently via nutritional supplements he believed were safe. In February 2024, the initial verdict was unforgiving, as he was handed a four-year suspension by Italy’s anti-doping authorities. Pogba appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced the ban to 18 months, making him eligible to return from March 2025. Earlier this year, once his suspension had officially run its course, Monaco offered the 2018 World Cup winner a path back. Pogba accepted the offer and signed a two-year contract, pledging to rebuild both his form and reputation.
Training breakthrough and imminent selection
This week brought the breakthrough everyone at Monaco had been waiting for. According to L’Equipe,Pogba trained fully with the squad on Thursday, completed the session without complication, and is expected to do the same on Friday. Provided he emerges from both days unscathed, he will travel with the team to Rennes and is expected to play. Monaco plan to gradually increase his minutes over the coming weeks, with an eventual target of playing consecutive 90-minute matches with only three days of recovery. Pogba is desperate to get back to his best, fuelled in part by the dream of representing France at the 2026 World Cup. He has 91 caps and 11 international goals, and believes firmly that one last chapter in blue is possible if he proves himself in Ligue 1.
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