It was supposed to be a comeback written in the stars. Instead, Paul Pogba and AS Monaco are walking away after just one season.
The Ligue 1 club confirmed on Wednesday that the 2018 World Cup winner and Monaco had agreed to part ways by mutual consent. Pogba, 33, still had three years left on his deal until June 2027, but both sides admitted the reunion never quite caught fire.
When Monaco brought him in, it felt like destiny. The midfield maestro returning to France, chasing redemption after a doping ban that robbed him of more than two years on the pitch. The Principality offered him a stage. The fans offered him belief.
But football can be cruel. Injuries kept piling up. A knee problem, then a thigh setback. The legs that once dictated games at Manchester United and Juventus just couldn’t stay healthy. In the end, Pogba managed only six appearances for Monaco — one start — a stat that tells you nothing about the hope, and everything about the frustration.
“Monaco is an exceptional club,” Pogba said in a farewell statement. “I would like to thank the President and the management, my teammates, all the staff and all the fans who believed in me.
“Representing this Club and the Principality was an incredible experience. Even if I haven’t played as many games as I hoped, I will always remain grateful to have had the opportunity to wear its colours. Daghe Munegu!”
Monaco said the objectives set when he arrived had “not been fully achieved.” A polite way of saying the comeback stalled before it started.
Now the question hangs in the air: where does Pogba go from here? One chapter closes in Monte Carlo. The next is still unwritten.
