Paul Pogba made a rare appearance as he watched his former France teammates in their Euro 2024 last-16 tie against Belgium on Monday.
The former Manchester United midfielder is currently serving a four-year ban from football after testing positive for a banned substance nearly 11 months ago.
Pogba, who plans to appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), tested positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a compound that promotes the production of hormones in the body, including testosterone, following Juventus’ 3-0 win over Udinese in Serie A last August.
He was provisionally suspended in September and a counter-analysis was requested, however, that also came back positive. Anti-doping prosecutors in Italy then requested for Pogba to be handed a four-year suspension – the maximum punishment allowed – and his ban was confirmed in February.
Pogba has rarely been seen in public since his ban but the 31-year-old accepted an invite from the France Football Federation to attend their Euro 2024 last-16 match against Belgium.
He was also given a huge reception from France fans who he met at a fan park in Dusseldorf a few hours before the game.
Speaking before Euro 2024, France head coach, Didier Deschamps, revealed that he still keeps in close contact with Pogba, who was a key part of his side’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018.
‘He’s been through a difficult period,’ Pogba told Gazzetta dello Sport.
‘I would have taken him to the World Championship if he hadn’t been injured. Knowing him, I can’t believe he did doping voluntarily.
‘However, there is one positive thing, we are awaiting the appeal from the Tas. I hope to return to the pitch, he has the mental strength to do so.’
𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗴𝗯𝗮, 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗴𝗯𝗮…😍📣@paulpogba a rendu visite aux supporters des Bleus à la Casa Bleue de Düsseldorf ! 🇫🇷#FiersdetreBleus #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/rMjG1jT41d
— FFF (@FFF) July 1, 2024
Speaking to RMC Sport before the game, Pogba said he was confident of France’s chances of success at Euro 2024.
‘I’m happy to be here, to support my team. It’s a very important match,’ Pogba said.
‘I wish the best to everyone who will be on the pitch. Everyone is excited.
‘I feel it. We have players, quality. We know that there is a little rivalry during these matches against Belgium.
‘It will be a very good match for both teams. It will be a match which will define the Euro for the France team.
‘The coach has taken determined players, who are hungry. It will be a very good test. It’s the competition, there is no easy match.’