Paul Pogba said his emotional Monaco debut on Saturday brought relief and gratitude, marking his first appearance in more than two years after serving a doping ban.
The former Juventus and Manchester United player, who joined the Ligue 1 side on a free transfer in June, had not played a competitive match since September 2023.
Pogba received a four-year ban in February 2024 after testing positive for a banned substance, DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels. The suspension was cut to 18 months after an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 32-year-old, who was nearing a return last month before suffering a right ankle injury, came on in the 85th minute of Monaco's 4-1 defeat by Rennes at Roazhon Park and was met with a standing ovation.
"Seeing the crowd rise and applaud, I never imagined that would happen," Pogba told reporters. "I'm relieved to be playing football again, the thing I love most in the world.
"But there's still work to do to get back to full fitness and be able to play 90 minutes ... If I don't perform well at Monaco, I can forget about the French national team.
"I believe in myself and in my qualities, and since I knew I had done nothing wrong and it was not my fault, I never lost hope."
Monaco face Pafos in the Champions League Wednesday before hosting Paris St. Germain in Ligue 1 next Saturday.
