m88worldcups.com – Paul Pogba is reported to have almost no chance of being included in the France squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite having returned to competitive action with AS Monaco.

Frank Leboeuf believes that the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder has a very slim chance, estimated at only around five percent, of receiving another call-up from Didier Deschamps.

The former France defender, who won the 1998 World Cup, even joked that Zinedine Zidane has an equal chance to Pogba of being recalled to the national team.

Doping Ban and Pogba’s Return to the Pitch

Didier Deschamps is known as a strong admirer of Pogba’s talent, particularly after witnessing his crucial role in France’s success at the 2018 World Cup.

In the final against Croatia, which ended in a 4–2 victory, Pogba also got his name on the scoresheet.

However, Pogba’s career path after that did not run smoothly. The player, now 32 years old, failed to fully meet expectations after returning to Manchester United in 2016 for a record transfer fee of £89 million. He later returned to Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.

With the Bianconeri, Pogba made only 12 appearances due to various injury problems, before eventually receiving a playing ban for a doping violation after failing a test in September 2023.

The initial four-year ban was later reduced to 18 months following an appeal.

Juventus terminated his contract during the suspension period, leaving Pogba without a club for several months before he eventually returned to France and joined AS Monaco. His debut for the club took place on 22 November 2025.

Pogba’s Chances of Entering the France Squad for the 2026 World Cup

When asked about the possibility of Pogba being recalled to the France national team for the 2026 World Cup, Frank Leboeuf, in his comments with ToonieBet, expressed a highly skeptical view.

He emphasized that although Deschamps likes Pogba, the midfielder’s return to his best level is considered difficult after a long period without competitive football. According to him, training cannot replace real match experience.

Leboeuf also highlighted Pogba’s age, now over 30, as well as the number of other players who have demonstrated consistency.

He believes it would be very difficult for Deschamps to select Pogba, especially with the presence of options such as N’Golo Kante.

In a joking tone, Leboeuf even stated that if Pogba were to be called up, Deschamps might as well also call Antoine Griezmann and Zinedine Zidane.

He concluded that Pogba’s chances stand at only five percent and, in his view, the journey has essentially come to an end.

Deschamps himself has previously stated that the possibility of Pogba returning to the national team depends entirely on the player.

He emphasized that Pogba’s first step was to return to playing with Monaco after undergoing individual training for a very long period.

Deschamps hopes that Pogba can get through this initial phase, which he described as a source of happiness in itself after more than two and a half years of absence.

Ambitious Challenges and Pogba’s Self-Assessment

Pogba, who has been absent from the pitch for 811 days, has shown a realistic attitude in assessing his chances of returning to represent France.

He admitted that he is still very far from national team level and that his current main focus is on regaining fitness and helping Monaco.

He stressed that if he is unable to perform well with Monaco, then he must forget his ambition of returning to the France national team.

Will Pogba Fail to Reach 100 Caps with France

Although not completely giving up, Pogba understands that the path to wearing the France jersey again is extremely difficult.

In addition to winning the World Cup, he has also experienced success in the UEFA Nations League during the 2020–2021 season.

If he ultimately fails to reach 100 international appearances, Pogba at least has many fond memories throughout his career.

For now, his primary focus must remain on recovering his best form and fitness with Monaco, as the Ligue 1 competition enters the winter break.