France’s World Cup-winning defender Raphael Varane announced his retirement from football at the age of 31 Wednesday due to a serious knee injury. Varane, who won 93 caps for France between 2013 and 2022, had been a key figure in their 2018 World Cup triumph and also their 2022 runners-up finish in Qatar.
Varane’s glittering club career started at Lens before a decade at Real Madrid saw him make 360 appearances, while winning three LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies. He moved to Manchester United in 2021, helping them win the League Cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024. His career went south after he joined Serie A club Como in July when he sustained a knee injury on his debut.
On his retirement, Varane said via an Instagram post that he did not have any regrets: “I have won more than I could have dreamed of.” He also hinted at staying near football, he would take on a non-playing role at Como.
Varane has spoken about concussion issues, stating that the injuries at key moments in his career took a lot from his body, and more awareness on player safety is needed.
