Midfielder Paul Pogba returned to the pitch this Saturday (22) after more than two years away due to doping. The return for Monaco was a 4-1 defeat to Rennes, in the French Championship.
World champion with France in 2018, the 32-year-old player entered the field in the final minutes of the second half, when the score was already 4-0 for the opponent.
Pogba spent 26 months without playing. In addition to the suspension for doping, the period off the field was marked by injuries.
In August 2023, he tested positive for a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency that increases testosterone levels. At the time, the player played for the Italian team Juventus. His last match before returning this Saturday was on September 3 of that year.
Initially, the suspension would be for four years. After appeal, the sentence was reduced to 18 months. During the suspension, Juventus terminated the contract with the player. The punishment ended in March this year and, in June, Monaco announced his signing for two seasons. He had an ankle injury before his return.
Before the suspension, Pogba had a turbulent second spell at Juventus, marked by injuries that prevented him from having a run of games. He returned to the Italian club in 2022, after a second spell at Manchester United.
The peak of the player’s career occurred during his first spell at Juventus, from 2012 to 2016, when he established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world.
During this period, he won four consecutive Italian Championship titles. In 2018, he was a key player in winning the World Cup with the French team, including scoring a goal in the final against Croatia.
His professional career began with Manchester United’s youth teams, where he made his professional debut in 2011.
