World Cup winner Raphael Varane retires from international football at 29

World Cup winner French centre-back Raphael Varane announced his retirement from international football on Thursday at the age of 29.

"I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally," wrote Varane in a social media post.

Varane made his French debut, nearly a decade ago in 2013 against Georgia in the World Cup qualifiers. In total, he won 93 caps for Les Bleus and was touted as the potential successor of captain Hugo Lloris.

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"To represent our magnificent country for a decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Each time I wore this special blue shirt I felt immense pride," said Varane.

Varane reflected on his most special day in the French jersey when he won the World Cup final against Croatia in 2018.

"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."

"This victory that we won all together would never have been possible without the support of Didier Deschamps, every member of the management and staff over the years, and my teammates who have defended our shirt in every game we played."

The 29-year-old said he was going to miss these moments but now was the time for next generation to take over.

"I will miss these moments with you for sure, but the time has come for the new generation to take over. We have a bunch of talented young players who are ready to take over, who deserve a chance and who need you."

Varane was last seen in action for the Les Bleues during their 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. He led the backline for coach Didier Deschamps and guided the team to the finals.

However, his last international match turned out to be an agonising defeat against Argentina where France nearly pulled off a stunning heist to become only the third country in history to defend their crown.

Highlights | FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France, Argentina wins, Messi lifts the TROPHY!

Apart from his international career, Varane has had a rather storied club career as well. He became part of the Real Madrid setup as a teenager and played a pivotal part when the team won four Champions League trophies.

After his Real Madrid career, Varane moved to Premier League giants Manchester United in 20201 where he has been a vital cog for manager Erik ten Hag's resurgence plans for the Red Devils.

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(With input from agencies)

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