Pogba Returns after 811 Days As Rennes Beats Monacco 4 -1

Paul Pogba made his first professional appearance in more than two years, coming off the bench during Monaco’s 4–1 loss to Rennes.

According to BBC Sport on Saturday, the 32-year-old entered the match in the 85th minute at Roazhon Park, with Monaco already reduced to 10 men and trailing by four after captain Denis Zakaria had been sent off.

The French World Cup winner Pogba broke down in tears when he joined Ligue 1 club Monaco last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Pogba’s last competitive appearance was 811 days ago, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli on 3 September 2023. He left Juventus by mutual consent in November 2024.

Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

The former Manchester United midfielder was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.

Pogba watched from the bench as goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo, and Ludovic Blas put Rennes out of sight.

Fellow substitute Mika Biereth pulled a goal back for Monaco in the 95th minute, but a second consecutive 4-1 defeat means Sebastien Pocognoli’s side drop to eighth in the table with 20 points after 13 games.