Raphael Varane, a Manchester United and France central defender, has announced his retirement from international football.
Raphael Varane made his international debut in 2013 and has since scored five goals in 93 games, assisting France to victory in the 2018 World Cup.
His most recent appearance was in the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties over France.
Varane is the most recent member of Les Bleus to retire from international football after the World Cup.
Hugo Lloris, Tottenham’s captain and goalkeeper, announced his retirement in January, three weeks after the World Cup in Qatar.
Lloris was supposed to be replaced as France’s captain by Varane, but his shocking retirement from the team has taken that away from him. He will now focus on club football.
While announcing his retirement from international football on Thursday, Raphael Varane wrote;
Representing our great country for a decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life.
Every time I wore this very special blue jersey I felt immense pride. The duty to give it all, play my heart out, and win every time we put on the field.
I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally.
He added:
As a child, I remember following France 98, this team, these players who made us experience indescribable emotions.
I dreamed of being our heroes and 20 years later I lived one of the best experiences of my life, one that made me really proud. We brought home the Cup!
I will never forget it. I still feel every single one of the emotions felt on that day, July 15, 2018. That was one of the most amazing and memorable moments of my life.
While France national team head coach, Didier Deschamps reacted:
I respect his decision even if it may seem a bit unfortunate given everything he was able to do with the national team through to the World Cup, during which he behaved like the leader we know he is from start to finish.