Former Manchester United Star Paul Pogba’s Appearance Adds Star Power To NFL’s Historic Paris Game

Paul Pogba’s Appearance Adds Star Power to NFL’s Paris Game© Instagram

Paul Pogba showed up at Stade de France on Saturday looking like he had somewhere better to be and chose this instead. The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder arrived on the field before kickoff wearing a dark denim jacket with black sleeves, a black turtleneck, matching trousers, a knit cap, and small round sunglasses, posing for photos as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints warmed up around him. The game, which Pittsburgh won 16-10, was the first NFL regular-season match ever played in France.

Pogba is 33 and has not played competitive football since Monaco released him in August 2026 by mutual agreement. He had signed with the club in June 2025 after his doping ban was reduced from four years to 18 months and lifted in March 2025, but fitness problems restricted him to six appearances. He arrived in Paris as a free agent with no current club, which made his choice of how to spend his Saturday afternoon notable in itself.

Paul Pogba at Stade de France: A Free Agent's Saturday in Saint-Denis

He was not there in any official capacity. No ambassador role, no partnership announced. He was a recognizable face in a crowd that happened to include cameras, and the NFL's social teams made sure the images traveled. Fans on NFL France's channels reacted with fire emojis and enthusiasm that had less to do with the football and more to do with the face they recognized from a decade of watching Ligue 1 and Champions League highlights.

Steelers Beat Saints 16-10 as NFL Paris Debut Draws Celebrity Crowd

Aaron Rodgers walked out alongside his Steelers teammates in white road jerseys, black Color Rush pants, and a Paris Game patch on the shoulder. The Saints played in black with a gold-and-black emblem marking their 60th season. Burna Boy performed at halftime. One fan described the Saints' commemorative uniform as “iconique,” which felt like the right word for an afternoon that leaned harder into the spectacle than the scoreline suggested it deserved.