Raphael Varane: France and Manchester United defender retires from international football

France defender Raphael Varane has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 29.

The Manchester United centre-back won the World Cup with France in 2018 and helped his country reach the 2022 final in Qatar in December.

Varane won 93 international caps with France and said in a social media post that he lived out his childhood dream by winning the World Cup.

Varane added: “The time has come for the new generation. We have a bunch of talented young players who are ready to take over, who deserve a chance.”

His announcement follows the international retirement of former France captain and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris following the country’s defeat to Argentina.

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