During his unveiling at Monaco on Thursday, Paul Pogba expressed that a return to the French national team “would undoubtedly still be a dream and a bonus for me.”
The 2018 World Cup champion has earned 91 caps for France, yet has not played for Les Bleus since March 2022 due to injuries and an 18-month doping suspension that concluded just four months ago.
“Every French footballer dreams of representing their national team, but there are progressive steps,” stated the 32-year-old.
“Currently, I’m focused on stage one: returning and performing at my best.”
“There are places in the squad to be contested and you must earn those opportunities because it’s an incredibly talented group, a fantastic team,” he continued.
While Pogba has been sidelined, France reached the final of the 2022 World Cup, only to lose on penalties to an Argentina side led by Lionel Messi.
Additionally, they made it to the semi-finals of the European Championship last year, where they were defeated 2-1 by the eventual champions, Spain.
This midfielder signed a two-year deal with Ligue 1 outfit Monaco on Saturday, aiming to reignite his career.
The former Manchester United star has managed just 12 appearances across the past three seasons due to injuries, suspensions, and a notable extortion case of which he was a victim.
Pogba tested positive for a banned substance in August 2023 following a match with Juventus and has been eligible to return to football since March, despite his contract with the Italian club being terminated last year.
In 2024, his brother Mathias received a three-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, for attempting to extort €13 million ($15.3 million) from Pogba in 2022.
Having celebrated four Serie A titles with Juventus and the 2017 Europa League with Manchester United, Pogba is now set to compete in his home country for the first time in his professional career.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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