Since joining Monaco, the actions of 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba, who has not played for two years, have been scrutinized in light of his goal: to play in the World Cup with Les Bleus next year.

His tears, which made the rounds on social media when he signed his two-year contract with ASM, set the tone. The 32-year-old midfielder's arrival on the Rock represents more than the return of a prominent player in French football to Ligue 1. It's the marriage of a star with a club that is a showcase for the Principality.

He wasted no time. First brought together with Zinedine Zidane by their mutual sponsor for a video, he then presented their new high-end jewelry brand with his wife, Zulay, with a heavy dose of targeted media and social media exposure. Just like during his trip to Saint-Tropez with American influencer Darren Watkins Junior, followed by 40 million accounts under the name IShowSpeed.

Named "Unbreakable," this collection directly references the player's recent past, a father of three. Victim of an extortion attempt, he was held captive in March 2022 in an apartment in Seine-et-Marne in order to extort 13 million euros from him by relatives, who were subsequently sentenced to up to eight years in prison (for which his brother Mathias received a three-year prison sentence, one of which was suspended).

"Determined"

Pogba was also injured for a long time and then suspended for 18 months after testing positive after a match against Udinese on August 20, 2023.

Since his contract with Juventus ended on November 15, he had been living in the United States, training alone. To achieve his goal, he needed to choose the right club. Seduced by the pitches of Monaco's general manager, Thiago Scuro, and his sporting director, Carlos Avina, he felt it was "the right choice." "A lot of boxes ticked: the conditions, the lifestyle, France, Ligue 1, family, and of course, the club," he explains.

Back in a professional environment, Pogba felt that "the easy part is starting" for him. Having been a Monegasque player for a month, the former Manchester United player has moved on to the second phase of his program: individualized work on the pitch, often with the ball. "I'm determined," he said upon his arrival. "I want to get back on the pitch. But it will take as long as it takes."

"Everything is going in the right direction," Scuro told AFP. "He has started training on the pitch and is making progress. The timing is right, the process is positive, with no yellow flags or backtracking so far."

Deschamps happy for him

Coach Adi Hütter follows him daily. He appreciates his commitment and his rapid integration into a squad where he is the oldest player. But nothing is certain yet.

We are therefore approaching the crucial moment for the man whom Scuro believes must "become very important in a number 6 role, to connect with the defense, with his technique, his spirit and his understanding of the game."

That key moment will come "when he's able to participate in all the training sessions with the group," Scuro explains. "The intensity, pressure, and level are very high. He'll have to be able to repeat that training load daily. Then we'll see how his body adapts."

Didier Deschamps is following his favorite player's progress with interest, without putting any pressure on him. While he is initially relieved and happy for him to see him return to a life as a top-level athlete, the coach knows that Pogba has come a long way.

If all goes as planned, he could return to competition in October, perhaps during the derby against Nice at Louis-II.

"We really want to see him succeed," Scuro concluded. "It's going to be a great story. The most special thing would be to see him play in the World Cup. It would mean he's done a lot of good things in Monaco."