Paul Pogba has opened up on his long doping ban - and admits it has changed his perspective towards football and life in general.
Pogba was provisionally suspended after being randomly tested following Juventus' opening game of the 2023-24 season. He later received a four year ban, which was reduced to 18 months in October following an appeal.
Pogba has now resumed his career after signing a deal with Monaco, and appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Manchester United superstar admits he is on a mission to make the most of what remains of his career. Things were so bad for Pogba during his ban that he wasn't even allowed to train with Juventus.
The 32-year-old said: "I'm grateful to be back and play football again, after everything that happened. I see football totally different. I enjoy myself. I want to enjoy it.
"And I want to now arrive at Monaco with a young team. I'm one of the oldest, with the experience to help also the team and also to enjoy myself, you know. What are we going to change? We cannot change. The past is gone. We can only live the moment.
"And I know I've been out. I've been out for two years. I've been watching the games on TV. I've been staying at Juventus in Italy and I wasn't even allowed to go inside. I was watching the stadium like this every day with my kids telling me, 'Papi, when are you going to go to the game?'
"That, with me, was one of the biggest things. I wasn't allowed to play training matches.
"I was allowed to train (on his own), but I wasn't allowed to play training matches to stay sharp, to be ready for when I came back.
"I wasn't even allowed in training to go there. I had to train in my house or find somewhere to train. Is it normal?"
Pogba admits what hurt him the most was people thinking he was a drug cheat. But he knows the experience has made him stronger.
The World Cup winner added: "I think that's one of the things that got me most. It made me a better, like, more experienced person. A better person also.
"And to be careful, not to trust everybody, you know, and that's it. I mean, this is the way of life. This is part of my story."
