Cristiano Ronaldo, forward for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team, has shared his thoughts on the news that former French national team defender Raphael Varane has decided to retire from professional football.
Ronaldo wrote in the comments section under a post by his former Real Madrid teammate on social media:
A great career and a soccer legend. Congratulations for everything, brother. Hope to see you soon.
The announcement regarding the 31-year-old Varane, who was part of the 2018 World Cup-winning les Bleus, came on September 25. His last club was Como in Serie A, where he played just one game in the 2024/2025 Coppa Italia before sustaining an injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Throughout his career, Varane played for Lens, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. With Real Madrid, he won three La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies. The defender made 93 appearances and scored five goals for the French national team.