Raphael Varane Retires Due to Knee Injury

Raphael Varane, a World Cup winner with France and former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender, announced his retirement from football at the age of 31 due to a serious knee injury suffered shortly after joining Italian club Como. Varane's career highlights include winning four Champions League titles and three La Liga titles with Real Madrid, as well as the 2018 World Cup with France. He cited the grueling football schedule and excessive number of games as contributing factors to his early retirement. Numerous former teammates and football icons, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos, paid tribute to Varane, describing him as a 'legend' and a 'warrior.' Varane will remain with Como in a non-playing capacity and expressed pride in his career achievements and principles. His farewell message emphasized his desire to 'go out strong' and his commitment to leaving a positive impact wherever he played.