Player profile
About Raphael Varane
Raphaël Xavier Varane (born 25 April 1993) is a French former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He announced his retirement on 25 September 2024. He previously played for French club Lens and, ahead of the 2010–11 season, began training with the senior team and appeared on the bench in several league matches. Varane made his professional debut in 2010 aged 17, in a league match against Montpellier. After one season with the French club, and as a professional footballer, Varane joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2011. Since joining the Spanish giants, he has made over 250 appearances for the club and has won 16 major honours including: two La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. At only 24 years of age, Varane won his third UEFA Champions League trophy making him the youngest defender ever to have won three Champions League trophies, beating Paolo Maldini who was 26 when he won his third Champions League title. Varane was a France youth international, having earned caps at under-18, under-20 and under-21 level. He made his full international debut in March 2013 and represented the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After an admirable performance during the 2014 FIFA World Cup he was nominated for the Best Young Player award. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup in which he played every minute of every game. Varane has been described by Lens youth coach Eric Assadourian as a "truly first class player" who is "comfortable on both the tactical and technical level". Many ex players and current football managers, such as Fernando Hierro and José Mourinho, consider Varane to be one of the best defenders in world football.
