Raphaël Varane announces his retirement from football at 31
Raphaël Varane, one of the finest defenders of his generation and a World Cup champion, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31. Varane, who played 360 games for Real Madrid and won three LaLiga titles along with four Champions League trophies, joined Manchester United in 2021. In July, he signed with Serie A club Como but sustained a knee injury in his debut, which hastened his decision to step away from the game.
In an emotional Instagram post, Varane shared:
“I’ve fallen and gotten back up a thousand times, but this time it’s time to stop and hang up my boots.” His final match was Manchester United’s FA Cup victory at Wembley, a fitting end to a stellar career.
“I have no regrets. I’ve won more than I ever dreamed of,” the defender wrote, highlighting that beyond trophies and accolades, he stayed true to his principles and always aimed to leave every team in a better place than he found it.
