Paul Pogba admits he’s “far from full fitness” after long-awaited AS Monaco debut

France midfielder of Guinean descent Paul Pogba says he is still nowhere near full fitness after making his long-anticipated return to football with AS Monaco.

The 32-year-old stepped onto the pitch for the first time in 26 months on Saturday, coming on for a brief ten-minute cameo as Sébastien Pocognoli’s side suffered a heavy defeat away to Rennes.

Pogba’s comeback follows a turbulent spell marked by injuries and a doping ban that kept him out of the game since 2022.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Pogba admitted he remains well below the physical level required to play a full match.

He acknowledged that while he hopes to feature again soon, with Monaco set to face Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday before hosting Ligue 1 leaders PSG on Saturday, he still needs time to regain sharpness.

Pogba was also asked about the possibility of returning to Didier Deschamps’ France squad for the 2026 World Cup. With the national team’s midfield boasting talents such as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Manu Koné and N’Golo Kanté, he recognises the challenge ahead.

“I’m very far from it. I’m focused on getting my fitness back to help the team. If I don’t perform well at Monaco, I’ll have to forget about the French national team,” Pogba said.