By Alex Al-Kazzaz
Raphaël Varane is the third French player to retire from international duty since the 2022 FIFA World Cup where France finished as runners-up. Immediately after the tournament, Karim Benzema made his decision and shortly after longtime captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris followed suit.
As of late, the French Football Federation has been dealing with some heavy backlash due to controversy involving its president and the decision to not move on from Didier Deschamps who has been managing the team since 2012. With Varane retiring from international duty at the age of 29, Deschamps described the situation as regrettable, but insists that he understands Varane's decision
Varane's made his debut for the French National Team on March 22nd, 2013 in a World Cup qualifying match against Georgia. He played a major role in France's World Cup triumph in 2018 as well as in France's respectable title defense last year. Varane has represented his country in three World Cups, as well as one Euro. He missed the 2016 Euro that was held in his native France due to a leg injury. In his ten-year tenure in international duty, Varane made a total 93 appearances for France, scoring a total of five goals.
The longtime defender has been with Manchester United since 2021. He had spent the previous ten years with Real Madrid winning four Champions League titles along with three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. In addition, he won three Spanish Super Cups along with a Copa del Rey and three La Liga titles.
At this point in his career, Varane has amassed a list of accomplishments that is highly respectable. No doubt, with Manchester United, he has the potential to add more accolades to his illustrious career. As talented and successful as Varane is, injuries have been a big problem for him. His medical history has affected him in both domestic and international play. No doubt that when he's healthy and at 100 percent, he can make influential and respectable impact.
According to ESPN, Varane stated that it is time for young players to assume the duties of representing France. For France, it is time to groom and strengthen the next golden generation. With Varane finished, the time may have come for Arsenal defender William Saliba to take over.
Photo Credit: Planet Sport