Paul Pogba marked his long-awaited return to professional competitive football this Saturday. The French star`s comeback occurred during Monaco’s 4-1 defeat away to Rennes, while Paris Saint-Germain simultaneously secured their lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table with a decisive win over Le Havre.
The 32-year-old midfielder entered the pitch as a late substitute for Monaco, making his first appearance in over two years. Pogba’s career had been severely disrupted by a string of persistent injuries, a suspension following a doping violation, and personal turmoil linked to a high-profile extortion case in which he was the victim.
“Football isn’t over for me. We worked hard, waited more than two years to return, and today it finally happened. Thank God,” said Pogba following the match.
The 2018 World Cup winner was met with a warm and emotional reception from the fans at Roazhon Park, receiving a standing ovation both when he was introduced in the 85th minute and after the final whistle.
“It was very emotional to see the fans stand up and applaud. Honestly, I didn’t expect that, so a huge thank you to all the fans who were there today and supported me,” he added.
Pogba’s challenges began when he failed a doping test in August 2023 while playing for Juventus, resulting in an initial four-year ban that was subsequently reduced to 18 months. The Italian club proceeded to terminate his contract last November, prematurely ending his troubled second spell in Turin.
His legal battles also came to a head in 2024 when his brother Mathias received a three-year sentence, with two years suspended, for his involvement in a €13 million extortion attempt against the footballer in 2022.
Monaco provided the midfielder with a lifeline, offering him the chance to resume his career as soon as his suspension concluded in March. Monaco coach Sebastien Pocognoli was cautious in preparing Pogba, opting to introduce him late in the game when the team was already significantly trailing by four goals and down to ten men.
Rennes secured their victory early with goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal and Mahdi Camara. Monaco’s hopes dwindled further after Denis Zakaria was sent off. Breel Embolo extended the lead before Ludovic Blas scored from the penalty spot. Monaco managed to pull one goal back through Mika Biereth shortly after Pogba’s introduction.
Reflecting on the return, Pogba admitted to mixed feelings: “It’s great… Paul Pogba’s return, but I play for Monaco – that’s my team, and I hate losing. I’m relieved to be back playing football, the thing I love most in the world. But there’s still work to do to get back to peak form, play 90 minutes, and help the team as much as possible,” he concluded.
In the capital, PSG comfortably defeated Le Havre 3-0 at home, courtesy of goals from Lee Kang-in, João Neves, and Bradley Barcola. This victory allowed Luis Enrique’s team to reclaim the lead and establish a two-point advantage after momentarily falling behind rivals earlier on Saturday.
Both Marseille and Lens also secured important 1-0 victories. Lens edged past Strasbourg, a match that saw Ismaelo Ganiou score the winning goal and later included two red cards (one for Valentin Barco of Strasbourg and one for Morgan Guilavogui of Lens in stoppage time).
Marseille delivered the most dominant performance of the round, thrashing Nice 5-1 on Friday. Mason Greenwood was pivotal, scoring twice to move him into the position of the league’s top scorer with 10 goals.
Mark Thompson
