Still in the treatment room, Paul Pogba hasn’t stepped on the pitch since early December, and his return doesn’t seem close. His brother, Mathias Pogba, recently shared some updates, but they didn’t bring much hope.
Paul Pogba’s attempt to revive his career at AS Monaco has turned into a nightmare. After two years away due to a doping suspension, the midfielder has struggled to find his rhythm in training. His body, worn out, hasn’t coped well with the return to top-level football. In early October, a thigh injury halted him, followed by an ankle issue, and then a calf problem in mid-December. Between these setbacks, he has only managed to play short stints in Ligue 1.
We haven’t seen Paul Pogba since December 5, and his return to the pitch is starting to feel like a dream. AS Monaco has even removed him from their UEFA list, and the player himself doesn’t know when he can train without pain or discomfort. On RMC, his brother Mathias Pogba expressed his “frustration” with the situation. “Mentally, it’s tough, not just for him, but for the whole family. I told him he wouldn’t come back at 100% right away: ‘It’s been a long time since you played.’ We hoped for better, but that’s the reality of the field and the body.”
As a former player, Mathias knows the steps needed to return to competition. “His body wasn’t used to that pace, to the intensity of training and matches. We’re not robots. You have to take it step by step, or the body sends signals. That’s exactly what’s happening to him. We need to be patient and resilient. He’ll work to get back to his best level, I have no doubt,” he explains, more concerned about the psychological aspect than the physical one.
“It’s especially mentally tough. You have a lot of expectations and enthusiasm, then another setback hits. You have to get back up again and again. Where does he hurt the most? Everywhere a bit. His body is telling him not to rush. It’s mental, physical, cardio… all at once.” For Mathias, the only solution is to stay focused on work and recovery: “You just have to be patient, plain and simple.”
As for the future, nothing is certain. Will we see the 2018 World Cup champion on a professional pitch again? Even Mathias is cautious: “We take it day by day. There’s no projection beyond this season.” Pogba, under contract until 2027, has all his family’s support: “We send him messages of encouragement. After that, it’s up to him to manage. He’s a big boy, he knows this environment after all these years.”
