Marcus Rashford gives perfect response to Paul Pogba message as ex-Man United star makes comeback

Numerous Manchester United players – past and present – have shown their support for Paul Pogba after his emotional comeback to football this weekend.

Former Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has issued the perfect response to ex-teammate Paul Pogba‘s emotional statement. That’s following the midfielder’s long-awaited comeback to football.

Pogba, 32, has had two spells with United throughout his career, initially as a youth prospect before he re-joined the club in 2016 from Juventus for a then world-record fee. Rashford, meanwhile, is a product of United’s academy – although he’s currently out on loan with La Liga giants Barcelona.

Pogba departed Old Trafford for the final time in 2022 following the expiration of his contract and returned to Juventus as a free agent. However, in his second season back in Turin, he was hit with a shock doping ban.

The Frenchman was handed a provisional four-year suspension from football back in February 2024 after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a result stemming from a sample taken the previous August. Pogba has always insisted it was a mistake and he had been given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

His suspension was eventually reduced – and he was cleared to return to football in March this year. He became a free agent when his contract with Juventus was mutually terminated at the end of 2024, and he joined Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in June.

Pogba has been forced to wait to return to the pitch, however, due to the need to rebuild fitness. He finally made his debut this weekend as he came on as a late substitute in Monaco’s 4-1 defeat away at Rennes.

Speaking on Instagram on Sunday, Pogba said: “Last night was unforgettable. Stepping back on to the pitch after two years away meant more to me than I can express.

“To the fans, thank you for the love, the energy, and the belief. To everyone who stood behind me, supported me, and pushed me through every moment of this journey, I’m deeply grateful.

“This debut wasn’t just mine… it belonged to all of you who never stopped supporting me.”

A handful of his former United teammates have showed their support in the comments of the post. Rashford was among them, leaving a simple red heart emoji.

Current United captain Bruno Fernandes also echoed the sentiment – from his previous Instagram story – with the comment “Pogback,” while Jesse Lingard replied: “The boy’ss back.”

Pogba came on as a late substitute in the 85th-minute, although the match was all but lost for Monaco at that stage as they trailed 4-0, with a late consolation making it 4-1 in added time. This week, however, the midfielder will hope to rack up more minutes with a crucial Champions League match against Pafos.

That’s followed by a trip to face French giants Paris Saint-Germain next weekend.