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Former Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has announced his immediate retirement from professional football at 31 years old.
The Frenchman enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid, winning four Champions Leagues, and won the Carabao and FA Cup during his three years in Manchester.
Despite suffering numerous injury setbacks, he played 95 times for the Red Devils but left on a free transfer to Como 1907 in Italy this summer.
Sadly he picked up a serious knee injury in his debut against Sampdoria and news broke last night that he was about to terminate his contract at the Serie A side and was giving serious thought to the future of his playing career.
Clarity came in an Instagram post this morning when he announced, “they say all good things must come to an end” and went on to announce, “it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfilment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love.”
He went on to state, “I hold myself to the highest standard, I want to go out strong, not just holding on to the game. It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct.”
The former centre back asserted that he had risen and fallen numerous times in his career because of injury but now was the right time to bow out, with his “final game winning a trophy at Wembley”, which of course he won with United after a masterclass performance to keep Manchester City at bay.
He explained that he had loved every minute of fighting for all the teams he has played for and claimed that playing “the game at the highest level is a thrilling experience. It tests every level of your body and your mind. The emotions we experience you cannot find anywhere else.”
Despite his injury woes over the years, he claimed that he would not change a thing and has won more in his storied career than he could have ever dreamt of.
He announced that he will remain with Como but in a different role “without using my boots and shin pads”, most likely a coaching role.
He signed off by thanking all the fans, players and coaches he had worked with and said, “thank you for making this journey more special than my wildest dreams could ever foresee. Thank you, football.”
While it is sad that it has ended like this, Varane will go down as one of the best and most successful defenders of his generation. Even though he rarely reached the heights of his career at the Bernabeu in Manchester, it is fitting that is final full appearance in football was one last Rolls-Royce type effort in arguably football’s most famous stadium.
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