Paul Pogba's Injury Woes at AS Monaco

Paul Pogba’s fight to relaunch his career at AS Monaco has taken another painful turn, and this one unfolded far from the glare of a packed stadium.

At St George’s Park, during what should have been a routine pre-season session, the 2018 World Cup winner went down in distress. In the middle of a passing drill, Pogba reportedly let out a cry before collapsing to the turf, instantly turning a simple exercise into a scene of concern.

Medical staff rushed to him. Two members of Monaco’s backroom team helped him off the pitch, his team-mates watching on, worried and subdued. For a player already walking a tightrope with his body, it felt like a familiar, unwelcome script.

Pogba had only just worked his way back into full group training after a long spell disrupted by physical problems. His pre-season minutes so far had been limited to a brief appearance, but they at least hinted at a slow, careful rebuild. Now, that fragile momentum has been broken again.

Head coach Filipe Luís had recently spoken with optimism about bringing the 33-year-old properly back into the fold, seeing his experience and quality as valuable assets for the season ahead. Instead, the Frenchman is staring at yet another uphill climb: regaining fitness, proving durability, and trying to rediscover rhythm in a career repeatedly stalled by his body.

The timing could hardly be worse for Monaco. The club is entering the final stretch of its preparations for the new Ligue 1 campaign, a period the hierarchy had earmarked as decisive for judging Pogba’s long-term future. Pre-season was supposed to offer answers about what he could still give at the highest level. It has thrown up more questions instead.

For now, everything hinges on the medical verdict. The club will wait on scan results to learn the full extent of the damage and how long Pogba might be out. Until then, there is only uncertainty: for the player, who faces yet another spell of doubt and rehabilitation, and for the coaching staff, who must quickly redraw their plans.

Monaco’s immediate task is pragmatic. They need to manage their midfield resources without one of their marquee names, reshaping roles and responsibilities while Pogba begins another recovery process away from the main group.

Whether this proves a brief scare or the start of a longer absence will define the next chapter. For Pogba, already battling time, expectation and his own body, the question is stark: how many more setbacks can this comeback withstand?