Former Real Madrid and Manchester United Star Rafael Varane Contemplating on Hanging Up His Boots

According to some recent reports, legendary French defender Rafael Varane is thinking about hanging up his boots after terminating his contract with Serie A side Como 1907.

After a glittering 14-year career that saw him lift three La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, and claim the FA Cup and Carabao Cup with Manchester United, along with the pinnacle of international football – the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France – Raphaël Varane has decided to retire from football for good. The 31-year-old defender had joined Como 1907 in the summer on a free, after his contract with Manchester United expired. However, he suffered a serious knee injury, just 20 minutes into his debut for the Italian side. Now, as per reports from French outlet Le Parisien, Varane is expected to announce his shock retirement imminently because of his recent struggles to maintain fitness. 

This news was later confirmed by reliable Italian journalist, Fabrizio Romano. He wrote, “Raphael Varane is seriously considering to retire from football with formal decision expected soon after his recent injury. He'd be leaving Como after signing for the Italian club in the summer.” Over the past couple of seasons, the French defender has had terrible luck with injuries. In fact, Varane spent large parts of his three seasons at United injured. He missed around 40 competitive games for the Red Devils during that time period.  

Having said that, Rafael Varane’s injury concerns aren’t new. They date back to his early days with Real Madrid. During his illustrious 10-year stint with Los Blancos, Varane missed approximately 100 games either through injuries or illness. But despite his injury setbacks, Raphaël Varane’s career has been nothing short of legendary. A Rolls Royce defender in the truest sense, Varane was a key figure in Real Madrid's dominance throughout the mid to late 2010s, solidifying his place among football's elite.  

Besides his achievements with Real, the 31-year-old defender represented France 93 times. Having 93 caps for Les Bleus, especially during this era, is no small feat. He had to fight for a starting XI spot against the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Aymeric Laporte, Presnel Kimpembe and many other world-class defenders. He retired from international football after France’s heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Now, as Varane steps away from the game altogether, football is saying goodbye to one of its most graceful and accomplished defenders. His presence will be sorely missed.  

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