New Delhi: Paul Pogba finally stepped back onto a competitive pitch on Saturday as he endured a turbulent two-year spell that pushed his career to the brink. The 32-year-old midfielder made his Monaco debut in the closing stages of their 4-1 defeat to Rennes. For Pogba, just hearing the final whistle while wearing a match shirt again felt like a victory in itself.

His last competitive appearance came more than two years ago, before a run of injuries, a doping suspension and a frightening extortion case derailed everything. So when his number went up in the 85th minute, the reaction inside Roazhon Park said a lot about how much football had missed him. The crowd rose, applauded and welcomed him back as if he had never left.

🚨🇫🇷 Paul Pogba (32) is finally BACK on the pitch after 811

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