Paul Pogba opens up on emotional AS Monaco move, France comeback hopes and more

At his presentation to the media on Thursday, Paul Pogba cut a delighted and motivated figure as he shared his thoughts on a range of topics.

Moving contract signing

The first topic on the agenda was his emotional contract signing, which was clearly a special moment for the French superstar, who appeared genuinely overwhelmed and deeply grateful to AS Monaco for placing their trust in him.

“It’s true that I was overwhelmed by emotion at that moment. I must say that it’s very rare to see me cry like that, so I hope you enjoyed it (smiles)! I have a lot of images that came to mind in relation to what I went through. So to come back and sign for AS Monaco, a club that believed in me, all of that came back to me at the moment of my signing, which meant that I couldn’t hold back. But above all, it was a moment of joy.  But I also feel a lot of determination in me, and I think I made the best choice by coming here,” he said with AS Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro sitting beside him.

Thiago Scuro said it was not difficult to convince AS Monaco President Dmitry Rybolovlev to make the signing: “The President was part of the process. Paul had the opportunity to meet him and talk to him. He added confidently: “Now all the elements are in place: Paul is working, we are working, all the staff are involved, including our President of course.”

Grateful and motivated

He then added this on how appreciative he is for all the support he’s received from the fans and on how driven he is to get back to his best: “I received a lot of messages that really touched me. It made me happy to feel this support from the fans and people in general. Today, I feel good mentally and physically, and I saw that here in Monaco there is very good infrastructure, very good energy and also good people, who will help me get back to my best level. I am a determined person who wants to come back and who wants to enjoy myself on the field again, especially because that is what I miss the most. The objective is therefore to make my return to the highest level while taking the time necessary.”

The last two years and his readiness to return

Pogba then reflected on the challenges of the past couple of years, noting that his unwavering desire to return to the pitch had been a powerful driving force throughout.

“My daily life during these two years was that of a very present dad (smiles)! I would take my children to school, and then I would go to training. Then I would pick the children up from school (smile). So I spent a lot of time with my family and training. Whenever I travelled, I took my fitness trainer with me to stay fit so I only missed as few sessions as possible. I always had this positive thought in mind – that I could return to the field at any time. Of course, there were moments of doubt, but I always wanted to look forward and towards the future. And looking at my children, I told myself that I wanted them to see me play on the field! I dream of them celebrating one of my goals with a dab (his favourite gesture). That’s what pushed me to train, to maintain this discipline. Today I am very happy to be at AS Monaco and to return to the job that I love,” commented the 32-year-old.

“As I said, there were moments of doubt when everything was mixed up in my head. It was sometimes difficult, but my family and especially my wife pushed me, telling me not to worry and that I would get back on the pitch. I myself remained focused on this objective of finding a club and getting back into football and achieving my goal. Today, the first objective has been achieved by signing for a club, and now for the rest, I come back with the same mentality and the desire to train hard to come back and get back into shape. I feel like a young person who has just signed his first professional contract, so I’m obviously determined and have a lot of ambition.”

Trusting the process

While Pogba expressed enthusiasm about settling into training and building chemistry with his new teammates, he was equally clear about taking a patient approach, with him wisely not wanting to rush his return or place any unnecessary pressure on himself.

“I think the easiest part starts because I’m surrounded by good players in a good structure. Because training alone is not easy, as you always have to motivate yourself, whatever the time. Sometimes you don’t feel like it, but, despite everything, I always kept this discipline to be ready when the time came, when a club would call me. That’s what I did, and that’s what helped me keep this requirement. And believe in what happened a few days ago, this signing with AS Monaco,” insisted the 2018 World Cup winner.

“I’m very determined (smile)! I definitely want to get back on the pitch, but I can’t be in too much of a hurry. Sometimes we want things right away, but management told me they’re going to take the time to get me in top shape. I’m here first and foremost to help the team, but I won’t be able to do it 50%, so I really want to take the time I need to be able to contribute and listen to the club.”

Related Reading: Analysis: Excitement machine Paul Pogba ready to reignite his career at AS Monaco

Experience vital to the squad

Next up were Pogba’s words regarding embracing his role as a veteran in the locker room and his keenness to help his colleagues by sharing his advice and knowledge, especially with Monaco’s host of gifted youngsters. Moreover, his leadership skills should also come in handy alongside fellow experienced operators such as Denis Zakaria, Thilo Kehrer and Eric Dier.

“Already on a daily basis, in these first days for me at the club, the goal is to get to know the players, to be there with them. I think I’m now the oldest in the squad, so it’s strange for me (smiles)! I want to see how they work and watch them in training because it’s important for me. And over time, I’m going to start talking a little more with each one, even if I already know some players from having played or simply spoken with them before signing here,” Pogba told the media in attendance.

“I was already giving little tips because it’s my nature to be like that. So if they give me this opportunity to give advice, I will be happy to pass it on. But I know that there is already a very good captain that I know in Denis, but also Thilo and Eric Dier, who played for big clubs, are among the veterans and can help others.”

Taste of Ligue 1

Ahead of his first taste of Ligue 1, Pogba was high on praise for the quality and competitiveness of Ligue 1, labelling it a league full of talented players and exceptional outfits, stating: “For me, Ligue 1 has always been at a top level, a big championship with a lot of talent and a lot of potential. So I’m going to discover this championship that I’ve regularly watched. In recent years, there has been a strong domination from Paris Saint-Germain. But AS Monaco (in 2017) and LOSC Lille (in 2021) have also shown that they can win it. So it’s a championship that is very interesting, where there are the best talents, and I am very happy to be part of it to try to raise the level even further. It’s a good challenge for me too, and it’s a determined Paul that you will see!”

National team ambitions

Having enjoyed many amazing moments with the French national team, he voiced his eagerness to earn back his place in Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus squad.

“I spoke to Didier Deschamps on the phone, who told me: ‘It’s good, you’ve signed for Monaco; you can come back whenever you want (laughs)’! I’m obviously joking, even if it’s obviously the wish of every French player to play with the national team. But today I’m at the first stage of my comeback, which is to get back in shape and perform well. There are stages to go through for that, and you have to earn them,” explained Pogba.

“So it will be up to me to get back on the pitch, perform as I said, and earn my place! Today is the first step, and it is impossible to return to the French team without performing well with my club. I want first to play with my team again, to have fun, and then we’ll see. But it is certain that returning to the Blues would be a dream and a real bonus for me.”

Position

When quizzed on the position he expects to play, his answer made for great reading, with him underlining his versatility while also saying he’s ultimately happy to adhere to wherever the side and coach Adi Hütter need him most to make the biggest impact.

“It will depend on the coach already (smiles). But more seriously, I’m very happy to have a midfield as strong as there is today at AS Monaco. It’s good for me, first of all, on a daily basis, to train with quality players who perform well in matches. In training we will learn to understand each other, to master each other’s positions. Personally, I’ve played a bit everywhere – at 6, at 8, on the left or at 10 – so I can adapt! But it will mainly depend on the team, where I can contribute the most and where they need me the most,” asserted the former Juventus and Manchester United maestro.

“I had good discussions with the coach, who told me about his system, his playing philosophy and where I could play. I also said that I wanted to work on video to understand the system and adapt well because it’s important for me to understand everyone’s movements in order to feel comfortable very quickly. So we had a really good discussion that was beneficial for both of us.”

Dealing with pressure

Lastly, how the towering presence will handle the pressure and deal with the weight of expectation was posed to him. Pogba responded like a true professional, providing some terrific insight into how this will be no issue for him whatsoever.

“Since I was 16, when I left Le Havre, it’s always been like this for me, so it’s a matter of habit. On the other hand, it touches me to see so many people today! But as for the pressure, it’s part of our life as footballers. When you sign professionally, you sign for all that, the criticism after bad matches, the praise after big matches, etc. I have no pressure to put on myself, because where I come from, the pressure was to know if I was still going to have the opportunity to play football. So there’s no pressure for me; I’m in a very good club with very good players and good energy, so I’m just grateful,” he concluded.

Stage set

With pre-season on the horizon and Pogba’s first media outing as a Monaco player in the books, the scene is set for him to take centre stage at Monaco as the highly anticipated debut of the legendary Frenchman draws ever closer.