France World Cup winner Raphael Varane on Wednesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31, adding that he will remain at Como in a non-playing capacity.
Former Real Madrid and Manchester United centre-back Varane had joined the Italian club for this season but was then excluded from their Serie A squad having suffered a knee injury in August.
Varane announced the start of a new chapter in his life off the pitch, confirming his intention to stay with Como in a non-playing role while moving on from his career as a professional footballer. He expressed enthusiasm for sharing more details about this transition in the near future.
Varane came through the academy at French club Lens before joining Madrid as an 18-year-old in 2011.
He claimed the first of his three La Liga titles in his first season in the Spanish capital.
In 2014 he secured the first of his four Champions League crowns with a league and European double three years later.
Varane joined United in 2024, lifting a League Cup and an FA Cup with the English club.
He left Old Trafford last season to move to Cesc Fabregas’ newly-promoted Como, playing just one Coppa Italia match, when he sustained a knee injury.
Varane reflected on his journey from Lens to Madrid and Manchester, emphasizing his commitment to every team he represented and expressing his enjoyment of the entire experience throughout his career.
With Les Bleus, Varane made his debut in 2013 with the pinnacle of his international career coming in 2018 and the World Cup success.
He finished his France career two years ago on 93 caps.
“I have won more than I could have even dreamed of,” Varane said.
“But beyond the accolades and trophies, I am proud that no matter what, I have stuck to my principles of being sincere and have tried to leave everywhere better than I found it,” he added.
Various former teammates paid tribute to Varane, including United’s Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes.
“It was a pleasure for all of us,” Fernandes said on Instagram.
With AFP
