Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is eager to make his return to football after his doping ban was reduced from four years to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The 31-year-old French international had been provisionally suspended by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO Italia) in September 2023 after testing positive for DHEA, a banned substance that increases testosterone levels.
Pogba, who successfully appealed to CAS, arguing that his ingestion of DHEA was unintentional, will be eligible to return to Juventus in March 2025. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Pogba expressed his determination to return to football, emphasizing his willingness to take a pay cut if necessary to play for Juventus again. He also shared his dream of representing France at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“I am ready to return to normal in 2025. I only have one desire: to play football,” Pogba stated. He added that he is focused on proving his worth on the pitch, leaving the judgment to Juventus’ coach Thiago Motta.
Reflecting on the ban, Pogba described it as the most challenging period of his career. He spoke about the emotional toll of being unable to train or play for Juventus, highlighting the support he received from teammates such as Juan Cuadrado, Paulo Dybala, Dusan Vlahovic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Moise Kean.
In addition to his Juventus comeback, Pogba has his sights set on earning a place in Didier Deschamps’ France squad for the 2026 World Cup. “The dream of the World Cup is there, but Deschamps hasn’t opened the doors for anyone. It’s up to me to open them,” he remarked.
Pogba, whose contract with Juventus runs until June 2026, last played for the club over a year ago in a 2-0 victory against Empoli.
