French defender Raphael Varane on Tuesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31 years. The decision comes after failing to recover the latest injury suffered during Coppa Italia match. Since then Varane has not been able to take the field for his new club Como.
In a huge post on Instagram, Varane expressed that all good things must come to an end and emphasised having "no regrets" about his career. Speaking about his footballing journey he added ,"I have loved fighting for myself, my clubs, my country, my teammates and the supporters of every team I have played for. From Lens to Madrid to Manchester, and playing for our national team. I have defended every badge with everything I have, and loved every minute of the journey."
"I have no regrets, I wouldn’t change a thing. I have won more than I could have even dreamed of, 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. I hope I have made you all proud." he added
The World Cup champion signed with the newly promoted Italian team this summer as a free agent after his contract with Manchester United ended. He inked a two-year deal, joining Cesc Fabregas’ squad and reuniting with fellow former Premier League players Pepe Reina and Alberto Moreno at Como.
Varane began his career at Lens, his hometown club in France, before making the move to Real Madrid in 2011. During his time in Madrid, he secured 18 major trophies, including three La Liga titles and four Champions League victories.
During his stint at United, which began in 2021, he played a pivotal role in their Carabao Cup triumph in 2022-23 and FA Cup success the following year.
On the international stage, Varane had a remarkable career, winning the World Cup with France in 2018 and the Nations League in 2021, while earning 93 caps for his country.
