Raphael Varane Announces Retirement From Football

Ex-France and former Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31, following a severe knee injury sustained while playing for the Serie A club, Como.

Raphael Varane commenced his illustrious career in Ligue 1 with Lens before making a pivotal move to Real Madrid in 2011.

During his tenure with the Spanish giants, he made 360 appearances, securing three La Liga titles and four Champions League victories for the prestigious Los Blancos. In 2021, Varane transferred to the English Premier League outfit, Manchester United, where he triumphed in the FA Cup at Wembley before transitioning to Como in Serie A, where unfortunately his career was cut short due to the aforementioned knee injury.

On the international stage, Raphael Varane represented the French national team from 2013 to 2022, earning 93 caps and playing a crucial role in their historic World Cup triumph in Russia 2018, as well as their commendable runner-up finish in the subsequent tournament held in Qatar 2022.

Varane expressed his intention to remain involved with Como in a non-playing capacity, with no sense of regret for departing from the sport at this stage of his career.

Story by: Salifu Zakari Zeba : Ahotor Sports Desk