World Cup winner announces retirement from international football

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France centre-back Raphael Varane has announced his imminent retirement from international football.

The 29-year-old is preparing to focus solely on club action with Manchester United and spending time with his family after admitting that he is experiencing “physical and psychological wear and tear”, according to Le Parisien.

It means that his last outing for Les Bleus was the World Cup final in Qatar last year, in which France narrowly missed out on lifting the trophy back-to-back and lost via a penalty shootout.

Varane is one of the most decorated players in football and the 2018 World Cup completed a perfect honours list for the defender.

He has represented his national team for almost 10 years, having made his debut on March 22, 2013. Varane has 93 caps to his name and played in four major tournaments.

Varane is invaluable to Red Devils

Didier Deschamps’ loss is now Erik ten Hag’s gain, as it means the Red will be more rested throughout the season. The four-time Champions League winner has been irreplaceable in the United squad and instrumental to their outstanding run of room and results.

His partnership with Lisandro Martinez, who recently became a world champion, is undoubtedly one of the strongest across Europe.

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