September 25, (THEWILL) – Raphael Varane, the 31-year-old French footballer, announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday. The World Cup winner and former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender will remain with the Italian club, Como, in a non-playing role.
Varane’s decision comes after a knee injury in August prevented him from being included in Como’s Serie A squad this season. He joined the newly promoted Italian club last year, making only one appearance in the Coppa Italia before sustaining the injury.
The centre-back’s career began at Lens before he moved to Real Madrid at 18. During his time in Spain, Varane won three La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies. He later joined Manchester United in 2024, adding a League Cup and an FA Cup to his impressive collection of accolades.
Internationally, Varane represented France 93 times, with the highlight of his career being the 2018 World Cup victory. He retired from international duty two years ago. In his retirement statement, Varane expressed pride in his achievements and principles, stating he had “won more than I could have even dreamed of”.
Former teammates, including Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, paid tribute to Varane following his announcement. The French defender’s retirement marks the end of a successful 13-year professional career that saw him compete at the highest levels of club and international football.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
