The center-back Raphaël Varane has announced his retirement at 31 years old. A former Real Madrid player with numerous titles, he bids farewell to football after suffering another knee injury, which occurred during his debut for Como against Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia.
Join us as we look back on Varane’s victorious career and the reasons behind his retirement.
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Varane’s Farewell
Varane had signed a two-year contract with Como, with the option to extend for one more season. However, after suffering a knee injury in August during a match against Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia, Varane decided to retire.
“I want to leave while I’m still strong, not just hanging on. It takes a lot of courage to listen to your heart and instincts. Desire and necessity are different things. I’ve fallen and risen thousands of times, and this time, it’s time to stop and hang up my boots, with my last match being a title win at Wembley,” Varane stated.
He will remain with Como in an off-field role that has yet to be revealed.
Since joining Manchester United in 2021, Varane has struggled with recurring physical and muscular problems, missing a total of 219 days due to various injuries.
Photo: Social Media | Screenshot
Raphäel Varane’s Career
Varane had an incredibly successful career, especially during his years at Real Madrid, and he also won the World Cup with France in 2018, where he was a key starter.
Varane began his career at Lens, making his professional debut in 2010 at just 17 years old, in a 2-0 win against Montpellier. He played the entire match and scored his first professional goal in a 1-1 draw against Caen in May 2011.
In June 2011, he was signed by Real Madrid, where he stayed until 2021, winning various titles and playing an essential role. He made his Real Madrid debut in September 2011 against Racing Santander. In his second match, he scored his first goal for the club in a 6-2 win over Rayo Vallecano.
During his time at Real Madrid, Varane won 18 titles, including 3 La Liga championships and 4 Champions League titles.
In the 2013/14 Champions League, Varane was a backup to Pepe and Sergio Ramos but replaced Ramos in the semifinals against Bayern. In the final against Atlético Madrid, he started and played the entire match.
During Real Madrid’s three consecutive Champions League triumphs in 2016, 2017, and 2018, Varane was a key starter and a defensive pillar for the team.
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Photo: Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images
In 2018, Varane had a dream year for any player. He won the Champions League and the Club World Cup with Real Madrid and the World Cup with France, playing vital roles in both teams.
In the World Cup, Varane scored the opening goal in France’s 2-0 win over Uruguay in the quarterfinals.
Individually, he was named to the 2018 FIFA/FIFPro World XI.
Varane said his farewell to Real Madrid in 2021, after playing 360 matches and scoring 17 goals, leaving a legacy at one of the greatest clubs in the world.
Varane then moved to Manchester United, where he played for three seasons but struggled with frequent injuries, missing a total of 219 days.
He won the EFL Cup (2022/2023), starting in both the semifinal second leg and the final against Newcastle, as well as the FA Cup (2023/2024), where he was a regular starter, including in the 2-1 final victory against Manchester City.
Photo: AFP
Finally, Varane transferred to Como, but in his debut match against Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia, he suffered a knee injury just 20 minutes into the game. He subsequently announced his retirement from an illustrious career, in which he won 22 titles, most notably four Champions League trophies with Real Madrid and the 2018 World Cup with France.
Written by Henry Miller.
