Jun 29, 2025 07:16 PM IST
Why Paul Pogba was left extremely emotional after signing his two-year contract with AS Monaco, seeing him through to July 2027.
After over three years without professional football, French midfielder Paul Pogba has made the climb back to the top level of the sport, as he joins Ligue 1 club AS Monaco after signing a two-year contract in the Principality. One of the most talented players of the last decade, Pogba returns after missing a significant portion of his prime — a fact that made him extremely emotional, leaving him in a flood of tears while signing his contract.
Now at 32 years old and not having played consistent football since he was 28 years old, it is clear to see why the former Manchester United star’s emotions caught up with him. “Thank you for your confidence in me,” said Pogba in a video shared by the Monaco social media handles.
Pogba hasn’t played a single minute of competitive football in two years, having been suspended by FIFA after testing positive for non-endogenous testosterone, a banned substance. Pogba served an 18-month suspension after appeal, during which his contract with Juventus was terminated by mutual decision.
Can Pogba find his best again at the Stade Louis II?
The suspension came at the end of a turbulent period which was rife with a series of injuries, meaning it has been a really brutal past few years for the midfielder since he last graced the best football stadiums in Europe. While the 6’3 French star has been blessed with incredible unicorn-like talent, his final season at Manchester United in 2021/22 saw him miss 20 matches, and it would only get worse: after signing with Juventus for a return to the Italian giants in 2022/23, Pogba could only play 161 minutes across the season due knee surgery and a range of muscle strains.
Matters would get worse for Pogba as he sustained another injury right on the eve of the 2022 World Cup. Pogba had previously been the Best Young Player at the 2014 World Cup, before being arguably France’s best player on their run to the trophy in Russia in 2018.
AS Monaco provide a chance for Pogba to make a new home back in his country of birth, and will also have the boost of participating in the UEFA Champions League with the Monegasque team having finished in third in last year’s Ligue 1.
