JUST IN: Varane Retires From International Football
France defender Rafael Varane has announced his international retirement from football at the age of 29.
The Manchester United defender was part of the Les Blues team that won the World Cup in 2018 and reached and another final in 2022.
Varane becomes the second France player to retire after goalkeeper Hugo Lloris hung his gloves for the national team.
“Representing our great country for a decade has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Each time I wore this special blue jersey, I felt immense pride.
“The duty to give everything, to play with my heart and to win every time we entered the field. I have been considering this for several months and have decided that it is the right time for me to retire from international footbal”.
“As a child, I remember following France 98, this team, these players who made us experience indescribable emotions. I dreamed of doing like our heroes and, 20 years later, I had one of the best experiences of my life, one that made me really proud”.
“We brought the Cup home!! I will never forget him. I still feel every single emotion I felt that day, July 15, 2018. It was one of the greatest and most memorable moments of my life”.
Varane was in line to replace Hugo Lloris as the captain of the team before he made his decision to retire.
He made his debut in 2013 and has appeared in 97 matches for France.
