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One More Dance” — The Paul Pogba Comeback at Monaco

The return of Paul Pogba to top-flight football has been billed as “one more dance” — a final act, a personal redemption, a last grand performance on the pitch. But in truth, this isn’t just a curtain call. His signing with AS Monaco represents a dramatic rebirth, shaped by adversity, expectations, and the difficult path ahead.

The long winter: trials, tribulations, and a fallow period

To understand the significance of this comeback, it’s important to revisit what led to it.

• Suspension for doping: In 2023, Pogba tested positive for the banned substance DHEA. He was handed a four-year ban by the Italian tribunal, which was later reduced on appeal to 18 months.  

• Contract termination and uncertainty: Following the imposition of the ban, Juventus and Pogba mutually agreed to terminate his contract in late 2024.  

• Personal upheaval: Beyond the field, Pogba’s life was marked by turmoil. He was the target of a dramatic extortion attempt, in which his brother Mathias was implicated and later convicted.  

• Physical decline and doubts: In the seasons prior to suspension, injuries and lack of form had limited his contributions. Some speculated whether Pogba’s best days were behind him. 

For over 700 days, he remained off the competitive stage.  When, finally, the ban was lifted and free movement permitted, Pogba faced a crossroads: pursue offers abroad (MLS, Saudi Arabia, etc.), or return home and attempt resurrection in France.  

Monaco: the stage is set

On 28 June 2025, AS Monaco officially announced that Pogba had signed a two-year deal, through June 2027.  It was telling: Pogba had never before played in Ligue 1, a French league he left in his youth. Monaco offered him a platform not only to return but to reassert himself.

At the unveiling, Pogba was emotional — “It’s very rare you see me cry,” he said, referencing the weight of recent years.   He spoke of wanting his children to see him perform and celebrating their own dabs when he scores.   He also made clear that mental recovery is inseparable from physical readiness: “If the mind is good, it will go well on the pitch.”  

Monaco, for their part, are banking on more than nostalgia or star power. A side likely to compete in the Champions League, they hope Pogba’s experience, leadership, and pedigree can help elevate their status further.  The gamble: he returns healthy, confident, and consistent.

The hurdles: patience, fragility, and expectation

But “one more dance” won’t be easy.

1. Fitness and physical setbacks

Pogba’s comeback has already hit delays. Reports state that he’s suffered a thigh strain, further postponing his debut with Monaco. Given his long absence, Monaco’s medical team and coaching staff insist on caution: they want a return that lasts, not a quick relapse.  

2. Mental and emotional burden

To perform at the highest level demands full confidence. Pogba’s recent years have been marred by scandal, stress, and uncertainty. Rebuilding belief, maintaining consistency under scrutiny, and delivering results will place him under pressure.  

3. Squad dynamics & competition

Monaco already features promising talents, including loanees or recent signings. As Pogba works his way back into match fitness, he will have to fight for minutes. As such, his leadership and influence may matter as much off the ball as on it.

4. Return to the national stage

Pogba has long alluded to a return to the French national team — a “bonus” if his Monaco revival goes well.   But to get back into contention with France’s new generation, he must not only be fit but compelling in performance.

What “One More Dance” Could Mean

“One more dance” suggests finality, a farewell, but perhaps that’s too simplistic. This might not be Pogba’s swan song — at least not yet — but a last chance to show who he really is today.

If successful:

• He could restore a measure of legacy: not just as a past star, but as one who rose again.

• He might influence Monaco’s fortunes in Ligue 1 and Europe, giving them depth, experience, and a marquee name.

• A return to the national team (though ambitious) may beckon, symbolizing full redemption.

If it fails — through injury, inconsistency, or lost confidence — the narrative will inevitably turn to a cautionary tale: a star burned out by time, misfortune, and error.

But that’s what makes this so compelling. We’re not watching just a comeback; we’re watching a story about courage in decline, about a veteran’s fight for meaning beyond past glory.

Final thought

Paul Pogba’s arrival at Monaco is more than a signing — it’s a reckoning. There is heartbreak in the past, weight in expectations, and danger in the unknown. But there’s also a spark: a belief that the ball can spin again under his feet, the crowd can roar, and “one more dance” might turn into a reinvention.

Attached is a news article regarding Paul pogba comeback at Monaco 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/25/paul-pogba-monaco-doping-ban-return-agrees-deal

Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley 

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