Former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and France defender Raphaël Varane has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31. Varane, who recently joined Italian side Como on a free transfer in July, has been forced to retire after suffering a knee injury on his debut against Sampdoria last month.
In an emotional Instagram post
Varane wished to finish the game from where it had left him. He told that to just be “holding on to the game” was not enough. When asked how he could possibly hear the voice of his heart and intuition, Varane said, “It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct.” He confirmed that he will stay with Como in a non-playing capacity.
Varane made his professional debut at French club Lens, but left after only a season to join Real Madrid in 2011, spending ten years in the country to rally a sumptuous collection of 18 gongs to his name, three La Liga titles, and four Champions League triumphs.
Varane moved to Manchester United
In the summer of 2021 for an initial fee of £34 million. During his time at Old Trafford, he played 95 times in all competitions despite injury-plagued seasons. His Old Trafford spell went out in triumph, as United won the Carabao Cup in 2022, and his last game was against Manchester City when United took the FA Cup.
This is Varane, the international France player capped 93 times in the international space. He was a prolific player in France’s course to becoming a World Cup winner in 2018 and a winner of the Nations League in 2021. He also took France to the 2022 World Cup final.
Reflecting on his career, Varane said that he had “fallen and risen a thousand times,” but now it was “the time to stop, and to hang up my boots for good with my final game winning a trophy at Wembley.” He added: “I have no regrets; I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve won more than I could even dream of.”
Taking a closer look at the future,
Varane highlighted that he was eager for a “new life off the pitch”, and his commitment to Como, less the playing gear; he also pointed out his feelings regarding the long-term impact of heading the ball in football, further pushing the awareness and protection on the safety of players.
Varane has had a fantastic career and has become an icon in the world of football. He is one such player who will continue to contribute much to the world of football by becoming a member of the youth committee.