The French midfielder has had his four-year-ban from football cut down to 18 months after the Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted his argument that he had ingested a banned substance unintentionally.

Pogba told Sky Sports: "This is not me, I'm not a cheater.

"I'm someone that loves my sport, I love the game and I would never, ever cheat. I like to win fairly.

"I'm a bad loser but I'm not a cheater."

The Juventus ace was suspended by Italy's national anti-doping tribunal in February after a drugs test discovered elevated levels of testosterone in his system and he accepts responsibility for taking the forbidden substance.

He said: "I take some responsibility because I took the supplement.

"I didn't triple check, let's say it like that, even if it came from a professional. If I have to be punished, I am fine with it, but it should never be four years."

Pogba will able to return to training in January before being allowed to play again in March and he is counting down the days until he can return to the field.

The World Cup-winner said: "I would just like to be on the pitch, any pitch.

"First it's with Juventus. I want to be on the training with team mates, it's tough to be alone, playing passes on to the wall.

"My main focus is to get back training, be fit and to be on the pitch doing what I love."

Pogba thought about retiring after he was handed the initial punishment but has now vowed to return with "more determination and motivation" after some turbulent years in his career.

He explained: "I am still the same player with a different hunger, more motivated and more hungry.

"I will appreciate the game more than before because the game has been taken away from me. I realise how important it is for me.

"There will definitely be another Paul Pogba but with more determination and motivation to play until the end of my career."