Paul Pogba has opened up on the mental difficulties he encountered while attempting to make his way back into professional football. The French midfielder, who recently made his first start for Monaco since serving a reduced doping ban, admitted that the prolonged ordeal tested his patience and resolve.
Pogba's Long Road Back
The 33-year-old former Manchester United star has endured a challenging period since leaving Old Trafford. Injuries plagued his return to former club Juventus, where he managed just 12 appearances. In September 2023, he was provisionally banned after failing a routine drugs test, which later resulted in a four-year suspension. However, the ban was eventually reduced to 18 months on appeal.
Pogba joined Monaco in an attempt to revive his career, but injuries have limited him to only six appearances for the Ligue 1 side. His first start since the ban finally came at the weekend against Metz, a moment he described as both relieving and frustrating.
Mental Struggles Revealed
Speaking to Ligue 1 Plus, Pogba said: “Honestly, there were times when I was like, ‘That’s it, it’s getting on my nerves.’ I do everything, I come, I’m here, and it doesn’t stop, it just keeps going.
“I was thinking, ‘What more do I have to do to avoid all this?’ And actually, it’s about time and patience. You have to have the patience to keep going and not give up.”
Pogba credited his support network for helping him through the tough times. He added: “I was lucky to have people around me, whether it was my family or close friends, who would say to me, ‘What are you talking about?’ When I see the messages, whether on social media or when I arrive at the stadiums, they applaud.”
Future Uncertain
Pogba’s contract at the Stade Louis II has just over a year remaining, but he has made it clear that simply starting a game will not satisfy him. “I can’t stop here. I want to give that love and joy back to the people,” he said.
Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro earlier indicated that talks over Pogba’s future would be held. “Paul, first of all, was about performance. It is about performance, the first step,” Scuro said. “Paul is a very talented player with a different tier than we are used to having in Ligue 1. He's coming back from two years without playing - We knew that the challenge to bring him back would be high.
“Of course that he brings also an impact in terms of visibility to the league, to AS Monaco, commercial revenues, all of this. But as we all know, the player must be on the pitch performing for everything to work well. At the end, we started this process in the summer with a very high expectation.”
