Raphaël Varane, a France World Cup champion, has announced his retirement from football after a career that included four Champions League wins with Real Madrid.
The former France defender was scheduled to play for Como in Serie A this season, but he announced his retirement from the sport on Wednesday owing to a knee ailment.
He just played 20 minutes of a Coppa Italia match at Como before suffering the injury. Varane will stay with Como in an unspecified non-playing position.
Varane had been dealing with injuries since leaving Manchester United on a free transfer at the end of last season. He agreed to join Cesc Fabregas at Como, but he has decided to retire.
“They say all good things must come to an end,” Varane said in a statement posted to Instagram.
“In my career I have taken on many challenges, rose to occasion after occasion, almost all of it was supposed to be impossible. Incredible emotions, special moments, and memories that will last a lifetime. Reflecting on these moments, it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfillment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love” ” added Varane.
The announcement brings an end to a decade-long career at Madrid, which he joined from Lens in 2011. He made 360 appearances for Madrid, winning three La Liga titles (2012, 2017, 2020) and four Champions Leagues (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018). He also won the 2014 Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
He joined United in 2021 for a cost of around €41 million ($46 million) and helped the club win the 2024 FA Cup and the 2023 League Cup.
At the international level, he was a member of the France squad that won the World Cup in 2018 and advanced to the final in 2022.
