Paul Pogba: The Long Road Back From Doping Ban to Monaco Return
20 January 2026 – The story of Paul Pogba’s last two years is one of dramatic falls and resilient comebacks. From the depths of a four-year doping suspension to the roar of a French crowd welcoming him back, the World Cup winner’s career has navigated a tumultuous path that culminated in an emotional return to professional football with AS Monaco in late 2025.
The Ban and The Appeal
Paul Pogba’s world was upended in September 2023 when he was provisionally suspended after testing positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels. The test followed Juventus’s Serie A match against Udinese in August, a game in which he was an unused substitute. In February 2024, Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (NADO Italia) handed down the standard maximum penalty: a four-year ban from football, backdated to his provisional suspension.
Pogba maintained his innocence throughout, stating he had “never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.” He appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In a pivotal ruling on 4 October 2024, CAS reduced the ban to 18 months. The court acknowledged a lack of intent, finding the positive test resulted from mistakenly taking a supplement prescribed by a doctor. The reduced sentence meant Pogba would be eligible to return to training in January 2025 and to competitive matches from 11 March 2025.
A Juventus Chapter Closes
With his playing future on hold, his club situation also changed. On 15 November 2024, Juventus and Pogba announced they had reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract, which was originally set to run until June 2026. The club wished him well for his professional future, marking an end to his second spell in Turin, which had been plagued by injury even before the doping case.
Rebuilding in Monaco
As a free agent, Pogba plotted his comeback. In June 2025, he signed a two-year contract with AS Monaco, opting for a return to competitive European football over more lucrative offers from elsewhere. The move marked his first professional club in his native France, having left Le Havre’s academy for Manchester United as a teenager.
His debut was delayed by a minor ankle injury, but on 22 November 2025, the wait finally ended. After 811 days without a competitive match, Pogba came on as an 85th-minute substitute in Monaco’s Ligue 1 match against Rennes. He received a standing ovation from the Roazhon Park crowd. “Football isn’t over for me,” he said afterwards. “We’ve worked hard, we’ve waited more than two years to get back, and today, it finally happened.”
Key Facts & Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 2023 | Tests positive for DHEA after Juventus vs Udinese. |
| February 2024 | Handed a four-year ban by Italian anti-doping tribunal. |
| October 2024 | Ban reduced to 18 months by CAS on appeal. |
| November 2024 | Mutually terminates contract with Juventus. |
| June 2025 | Signs a two-year contract with AS Monaco. |
| 22 November 2025 | Makes competitive return, playing for Monaco against Rennes. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What substance did Paul Pogba test positive for?
Pogba tested positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that naturally occurs in the body but is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as it can boost testosterone production.
Why was his ban reduced from four years to 18 months?
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the ban after acknowledging Pogba did not intentionally dope. They found he had mistakenly taken a nutritional supplement containing the banned substance, which had been prescribed to him by a doctor.
Is Paul Pogba still playing for Juventus?
No. Pogba and Juventus mutually agreed to terminate his contract in November 2024. He subsequently signed for AS Monaco in June 2025, where he now plays.
Has he returned to the France national team?
As of January 2026, Pogba has not been recalled to the France squad since his return to playing. His stated ambition is to regain fitness and form with Monaco to force his way back into Didier Deschamps’ plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.