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Former Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has announced his immediate retirement from professional football at the age of 31.
The Frenchman enjoyed a trophy-winning spell at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League four times, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup during his three years in Manchester.
He has struggled with injuries on several occasions but made 95 appearances for the Red Devils before leaving on a free transfer to Italian side Como 1907 this summer.
Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury on his debut against Sampdoria and last night it was reported that he had terminated his contract with the Serie A side and was thinking seriously about his future as a player.
“All good things come to an end,” Clarity announced on Instagram this morning, adding, “It is with immense pride and a sense of accomplishment that I announce my retirement from the game we all love.”
He continued, “I want to hold myself to the highest standards and not just hold the game to itself, but to go out there and be strong. It takes a lot of courage to listen to your heart and your instincts.”
The former centre-back has had his career up and down due to injury, but insists it is now the right time to step down. He played “his last game lifting a trophy at Wembley” and of course won it with United after a superb performance against Manchester City.
He explained that he loved every moment of fighting for every team he played for, and claimed, “Playing at the highest level is a thrilling experience. It tests every level of the body and mind. The emotions we experience cannot be found anywhere else.”
Despite years of injury troubles, he insists he would not change a thing and has racked up more wins during his legendary playing career than he ever dreamed possible.
He announced he would remain at Como, but in a different role, possibly a coaching role, “without wearing boots and shin guards”.
He concluded by thanking all the fans, players and coaches he has worked with, saying, “Thank you for making this journey more special than I could have imagined. Thank you, football.”
Sadly, it ended this way, but Varane will go down as one of the greatest and most successful defenders of his generation. While he never quite reached the pinnacle of his career at Manchester’s Bernabeu, it’s fitting that his last full appearance in football was arguably his last Rolls-Royce effort at the most famous stadium in football.
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