Pogba makes long awaited return to competitive football as he made his first appearance for Monaco as a substitute.
Paul Pogba came off the bench during Monaco’s 4-1 loss to Rennes, playing his first minutes of professional football in over two years.
At Rennes’ Roazhon Park, the 32-year-old entered the game in the 85th minute, but his team was already down by four goals and a man after captain Denis Zakaria was sent off.
After the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) shortened his four-year doping penalty to 19 months, French World Cup winner Pogba sobbed when he joined Ligue 1 team Monaco last summer.
Pogba’s most recent competitive appearance occurred 811 days ago on September 3, 2023, when he played for Juventus against Empoli in Serie A. In November 2024, he mutually left Juventus.
After a doping test in August 2023, Pogba tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, leading to a four-year temporary ban from sport.
Pogba insisted that it was an error and that he was provided a supplement without realising it included a prohibited material.
After his punishment was reduced, the former Manchester United midfielder was allowed to resume playing football in March.Pogba watched from the bench as Rennes was eliminated by goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo, and Ludovic Blas.
After a second straight 4-1 loss, Sebastien Pocognoli’s team drops to eighth place in the standings with 20 points after 13 games, despite a goal from fellow substitute Mika Biereth for Monaco in the 95th minute.