After more than three years away, Paul Pogba is finally set to return to the Champions League, hoping to rediscover the level that once made him one of Europe’s most influential midfielders.

Pogba’s absence from the competition—over three years—mirrors the turbulence of a career that once seemed destined to dominate European football. His last Champions League appearance came on 15 March 2022, when Manchester United fell 1–0 to Atlético Madrid at Old Trafford. Since then, a combination of injuries, suspensions, and off-field complications have kept him far from the spotlight.

Now 32, Pogba recently made his Ligue 1 comeback for Monaco during their 4–1 loss to Rennes on 22 November, and he is expected to hear the Champions League anthem once more in their upcoming meeting with Pafos.

A long wait reflected in the numbers

The statistics highlight just how long Pogba has been removed from Europe’s elite stage.

He has not scored in the Champions League since 8 December 2020, in a 3–2 defeat to RB Leipzig.

His last assist dates even further back, to 28 October 2020, during United’s 5–0 win over Leipzig.

Across his Champions League career, Pogba has recorded 23 wins, 13 draws, and 21 defeats. His European debut came in October 2012, more than thirteen years ago, when he appeared for Juventus in a 1–1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in Turin.

That night marked the beginning of a rise that established Pogba as one of the most exciting midfield talents of his generation. With Juventus, he played 32 Champions League matches (14 wins, 9 draws, 9 defeats), becoming a pillar of their midfield. His spell with Manchester United was more uneven: 25 matches, with 9 wins, 4 draws, and 12 defeats.

The numbers underline the contrasting roles he played—a dominant, expressive force in Turin versus a symbol of inconsistency and pressure in a United project that struggled to find stability.

Now, as he begins a new chapter with Monaco and emerges from a long period of uncertainty, Pogba has the chance to reclaim his place on the international stage—and perhaps write one more significant chapter in a career full of highs, lows, and unanswered expectations.