In the high-stakes theater of global football, where dreams are forged in sweat and shattered by scandal, few stories grip the heart like Paul Pogba’s. The French maestro, once the world’s most expensive player, has spent the last 18 months in a purgatory of his own making, sidelined by a doping ban that threatened to bury his glittering career. But as of October 7, 2025, the shackles are off: Pogba’s 18-month suspension for testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has officially ended, unleashing the 32-year-old midfielder back into the wild of professional football. Free to sign with any club on the planet, the 2018 World Cup winner stands at a crossroads, his next move poised to either reignite his legend or cement his fall. From Turin to Monaco, Manchester to Miami, the football world buzzes with one question: where will Paul Pogba rise again?

The saga began on August 20, 2023, in the humid haze of a Serie A opener at Udinese, where Pogba—then a Juventus substitute—tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that boosts testosterone. The bombshell dropped in September, with Italy’s anti-doping agency (NADO Italia) slapping a provisional suspension that halted his second stint at Juventus, a club he’d rejoined in 2022 after a lackluster Manchester United spell. By February 2024, the hammer fell: a four-year ban, the maximum under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, set to keep him off pitches until 2027, when he’d be 34. “Sad, shocked, and heartbroken,” Pogba declared, vowing to appeal what he called an “incorrect” verdict, insisting the supplement came from a Florida doctor’s prescription and was unintentional. His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, echoed his defiance: “Paul never wanted to break the rules.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) became his lifeline. In October 2024, after a grueling appeal in Lausanne, CAS slashed the ban to 18 months, accepting Pogba’s claim that the ingestion was not deliberate. The ruling, finalized on October 4, 2024, noted DHEA’s limited effect on male athletes and highlighted Pogba’s “strict liability” but unintentional violation. “Finally, the nightmare is over,” Pogba exulted, his relief palpable. The decision meant he could resume training in January 2025 and play competitively from March 11, 2025, but Juventus, stung by his injury-plagued tenure and the doping cloud, mutually terminated his contract in November 2024, leaving him a free agent.

Pogba’s journey to this moment is a tapestry of triumph and turmoil. Born in Lagny-sur-Marne to Guinean parents, he rose from Le Havre’s youth ranks to Manchester United’s academy, only to spark controversy in 2009 when United “poached” him, prompting Le Havre to cry foul to FIFA. His first Juventus spell (2012-2016) was electric: four Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias, and a 2015 Champions League final, earning him Golden Boy and Bravo awards as Europe’s brightest young star. A then-record £89.3 million move back to United in 2016 brought Europa League and League Cup glory, but inconsistency and injuries dimmed his shine. His 2018 World Cup heroics—scoring in France’s 4-2 final win over Croatia—cemented his global aura, yet his second Juventus stint was a shadow of the first, marred by knee surgeries and just 12 appearances. Off-field dramas, including an extortion plot involving his brother Mathias, added to the chaos.

The doping ban was the darkest chapter yet. “I kind of tasted what life is after the career,” Pogba told Sky Sports in October 2024, admitting he briefly considered retirement but tossed the thought aside. “I’m not a cheater. I love this game, and I like to win fairly.” His ban, though reduced, cost him dearly: no France caps since March 2022, no competitive minutes since a September 2023 cameo against Empoli, and a reputation battered by social media vitriol branding him a “wasted talent.” Yet Pogba’s resolve endured. Training alone in Miami and Dubai, he honed his physique, posting Instagram clips of sprints and ball drills captioned “Loading…” Sources say he’s match-fit, eager to prove doubters wrong.

Now, the world is his oyster. In January 2025, Pogba hinted at “interesting offers” on a Twitch stream, ruling out Russia but eyeing Champions League clubs. By June, he inked a two-year deal with AS Monaco, a Ligue 1 side chasing glory after a third-place finish behind PSG and Marseille. The move, announced with a tearful video where Pogba whispered “La renaissance” (the rebirth), stunned fans: he’d rejected Saudi millions and MLS overtures for a shot at redemption in France, where he’d never played domestically despite his 91 caps. Monaco, under coach Adi Hütter, sees Pogba as a midfield linchpin, pairing his flair with young talents like Maghnes Akliouche. “Champions fit here,” Hütter said, nodding to Pogba’s pedigree. Yet whispers persist of interest from elsewhere—Marseille, PSG, even a shock Manchester City link—suggesting Pogba’s signature wasn’t a foregone conclusion.

The Monaco move is no safe bet. Ligue 1’s physicality and pace demand peak Pogba—the long-range passer, the box-to-box dynamo, the free-kick specialist who once dazzled Turin. At 32, with a knee scarred by surgeries and a year-plus without competitive play, doubters question his edge. “He’s world-class on his day, but consistency was always his ghost,” Gary Neville mused on Sky Sports. Fans on Reddit are split: some hail his 2015 Juventus prime as “unbelievable,” others scoff at his United stint as “long passes to nobody.” France coach Didier Deschamps, eyeing the 2026 World Cup, remains coy: “Paul knows what it takes. Show me on the pitch.” A national team recall hinges on his Monaco form, with Kylian Mbappé publicly backing his “frère” to shine.

Pogba’s return isn’t just about football—it’s personal. The extortion scandal, where his brother allegedly targeted him, left scars; Pogba called it a “nightmare” atop the doping ordeal. His emotional Monaco signing, tears streaming as he thanked the club for “trust,” revealed a man humbled but hungry. “I’m a different Paul now,” he told Mail Sport, hinting at a matured mindset. Off-field, he’s leaned into fatherhood, posting TikToks with his kids, and charity work in Guinea, funding soccer clinics. On-field, he’s promised fans “the real Pogba”—no dab, just drive.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Monaco’s Champions League campaign offers a global stage, but a misstep could see him fade into “what-if” lore, like so many prodigies before. Liverpool fans, still stinging from Diogo Jota’s tragic loss, draw parallels to Pogba’s fight to reclaim glory. His critics—those who call his United years a £89 million flop—watch eagerly for a stumble, while supporters see a phoenix rising. As he laces up for Monaco’s October clash against Lille, the world waits: will Pogba’s renaissance rewrite his story, or is this the final act of a tarnished titan? In football’s unforgiving spotlight, one truth holds: Pogba’s back, and he’s got everything to prove.