Raphaël Varane facts for kids

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"Varane" redirects here. For other uses, see Varane (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
Raphaël Varane

Varane playing for France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Personal information

Date of birth

25 April 1993 (age 32)

Place of birth

Lille, France

Height

1.91 m

Playing position

Centre-back

Youth career

2000–2002

Hellemmes

2002–2010

Lens

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2010

Lens II

(0)

2010–2011

Lens

(2)

2011–2021

Real Madrid

236

(8)

2021–2024

Manchester United

(2)

2024

Como

(0)

Total

336

(12)

National team

2010

France U18

(1)

2012

France U20

(0)

2011–2012

France U21

(3)

2013–2022

France

(5)

Honours


Men's football
Representing France
FIFA World Cup
Winner	2018 Russia
Runner-up	2022 Qatar
UEFA Nations League
Winner	2021 Italy

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Raphaël Xavier Varane (born 25 April 1993) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defensive position in football.

Varane started his football journey at French club Lens when he was young. In 2010, at just 17 years old, he made his professional debut. After playing one season, he moved to Real Madrid. He spent ten successful seasons there, from 2011 to 2021. During this time, he won many major trophies. These included three La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and four FIFA Club World Cups.

In 2021, Varane joined Manchester United in England. He played there for three years, winning the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. He left England in 2024 to join Como in Italy. However, after playing only a short time, he got a knee injury. He then announced his retirement from professional football in September 2024.

Varane also played for the French national team. He represented France at different youth levels before joining the senior team in 2013. He was part of the French squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2018. He also helped France reach the World Cup final in 2022. Varane retired from international football in 2023, having played 93 games for his country.

Raphaël Varane's Football Journey
International Career with France
- Youth Teams
- Senior National Team
Playing Style
Personal Life
Career Statistics
- Club
- International
Honours and Awards
See also

Raphaël Varane's Football Journey

Early Days and Youth Career

Raphaël Varane was born in Lille, France. His father is from Martinique, and his mother grew up in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. Varane started playing football at age seven for a local club called Hellemmes.

In 2002, he joined Lens, a professional club. He trained at a special center for young players in the region. Varane quickly moved up through the youth teams at Lens. In the 2008–09 season, his team won a national championship for under-16 players. The next season, he played for the under-19 team, even though he was younger than most players.

Before the 2010–11 season, Varane signed his first professional contract. He then joined the club's reserve team. He played his first game for the reserve team in a 2–0 win against Drancy.

Playing for Lens

In late 2010, Varane was called up to the senior team at Lens. He made his professional debut on 6 November 2010, starting as a centre-back. Lens won that game 2–0, and Varane played the whole match. His teammates and coach praised his performance.

In early 2011, other clubs became interested in Varane. To keep him, Lens extended his contract until 2015. On 8 May, Varane scored his first professional goal in a 1–1 draw. In the next game, he scored again. Despite his goals, Lens was relegated to a lower league that season. On 21 May, Varane even captained the team in a match.

Moving to Real Madrid

Varane training with Real Madrid in 2011

On 22 June 2011, it was announced that Varane would join La Liga club Real Madrid. He had visited their facilities and met with Zinedine Zidane, a famous French player who worked for Real Madrid. On 27 June, the move was confirmed after Varane passed his medical tests. He signed a six-year contract with the club.

Varane was given the number 19 shirt. He played his first game for Real Madrid in a pre-season match against LA Galaxy. He came on as a substitute in a 4–1 win. His first start was four days later.

First Season and La Liga Win

Varane made his official debut for Real Madrid on 21 September 2011. He started as a centre-back in a league match that ended 0–0. Three days later, he scored his first goal for the club against Rayo Vallecano. He scored with a back-heel shot after a corner kick. Real Madrid won that game 6–2. This goal made him the youngest foreign player to score for Real Madrid in a competitive match, at 18 years and 152 days old.

On 27 September, he played his first UEFA Champions League game. Real Madrid won 3–0 against Ajax. He helped Real Madrid win the La Liga title in his first season.

Becoming a Key Player and Champions League Success

Before the 2012–13 season, Varane changed his shirt number to 2. He made his season debut in the Champions League against Manchester City, which Real Madrid won 3–2.

On 30 January 2013, Varane played in his first El Clásico against Barcelona. He defended very well and even scored a header in the 1–1 draw. He became the second-youngest foreign player to score for Real Madrid in a Clásico. In the next game against Barcelona, he scored again with a header. Many football experts praised his performances.

In April 2013, fans voted Varane into the "Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history". He played all 120 minutes of Real Madrid's 4–1 win over Atlético Madrid in the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final. On 18 September 2014, Varane signed a new contract until 2020. He was a key player when Real Madrid won the Champions League again.

More Trophies with Real Madrid

Varane playing for Real Madrid in 2019

In the 2016–17 season, Varane played 23 games as Real Madrid won the La Liga title. He also started in the Champions League final as Madrid won their second Champions League in a row.

His contract was extended until 2022 in September 2017. In the 2017–18 Champions League, he played 11 games as Real Madrid won their third Champions League title in a row. Because of his great performances, he was nominated for the 2018 Ballon d'Or award. He was also chosen as a top centre-back for the FIFPro Men's World11 and the UEFA Team of the Year.

In the 2018–19 season, he played 43 games and won the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup. He was a regular starter when Real Madrid won the La Liga title in the next season.

Time at Manchester United

Varane playing for Manchester United in 2021

On 27 July 2021, it was announced that Varane would move to Manchester United. The transfer was completed on 14 August 2021. He was given the number 19 shirt. He made his debut on 29 August 2021, helping his team win 1–0. On 2 May 2022, Varane scored his first goal for Manchester United in a 3–0 win.

On 22 October 2022, Varane got a leg injury. This made his chances of playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup uncertain.

On 26 February 2023, Varane won his first trophy with Manchester United. He started in the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United at Wembley. Manchester United won the match 2–0.

On 14 August 2023, Varane scored the winning goal in Manchester United's first game of the 2023–24 season. They won 1–0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On 14 May 2024, Varane announced he would leave Manchester United at the end of the season. On 25 May 2024, he played his last game for the club. He lifted the FA Cup after a 2–1 victory against Manchester City. In total, he played 92 games for United and scored two goals.

Como and Retirement

On 28 July 2024, Varane signed a two-year deal with Serie A club Como in Italy. A few weeks later, on 11 August, he got a knee injury during a match. He was later removed from the club's squad list. On 25 September 2024, Raphaël Varane announced his retirement from professional football.

International Career with France

Youth Teams

Varane played for several French youth teams. He played for the under-18, under-20, and under-21 teams.

He made his debut for the under-18 team on 24 August 2010, scoring a goal in a 2–0 win. He later joined the under-21 team. On 15 November, Varane scored his first under-21 goal in a 2–0 win against Slovakia.

Senior National Team

Varane playing for France in 2014

In August 2012, Varane was called up to the France national team. He made his first start for France on 22 March 2013 in a World Cup qualifier, which France won 3–1. On 13 May 2014, he was chosen for France's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He played in several matches at the 2014 World Cup. France reached the quarter-finals but lost to Germany. Varane was nominated for the tournament's Best Young Player award. On 14 October, Varane became the youngest player to captain France in a match. He scored his first international goal on 18 November in a 1–0 win against Sweden.

In May 2016, he missed UEFA Euro 2016 due to a thigh injury.

On 17 May 2018, Varane was called up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He started and played every minute of all seven of France's games. In the quarter-final against Uruguay, Varane scored the first goal in France's 2–0 victory. France went on to win the World Cup for the second time in history! Varane became one of only four players to win both the World Cup and the Champions League in the same year.

In May 2021, he was part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He played in all of France's matches.

In November 2022, Varane was selected for France's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On 18 December, he started in the final, where France lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout.

On 2 February 2023, at 29 years old, Varane announced his retirement from international football. He shared photos from his time with the national team. He played 93 games for France and scored 5 goals.

Playing Style

Varane was known as a "first-class player." He was good at both the tactical (how the team plays) and technical (his skills with the ball) parts of the game. His height helped him win headers, and he was confident with the ball. He could start attacks from the back with his passing.

Many experts praised Varane. Some even said he could be better than Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro. They noted his technique, strength, and speed. Both Hierro and coach José Mourinho called Varane one of the best defenders in the world.

Personal Life

Raphaël Varane is married to Camille Tytgat. They have a son named Ruben and a daughter named Anaïs.

When Zinedine Zidane first called Varane about joining Real Madrid, Varane asked him to call back. He was busy studying for his high school exams!

His half-brother, Jonathan Varane, is also a professional footballer. His sister, Annabelle Varane, was Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais in 2018.

In an interview in 2024, Varane talked about concussions he had during his career. He said these head injuries had "damaged his body." He suggested that children should avoid heading the ball. He also called for more awareness among players about the dangers of repeated head trauma to brain health. He mentioned that he felt the effects of concussions during some of his games.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lens II	2010–11	CFA	9	0	—		—		—		—		9	0
Lens	2010–11	Ligue 1	23	2	1	0	0	0	—		—		24	2
Real Madrid	2011–12	La Liga	9	1	2	1	—		4	0	0	0	15	2
	2012–13	La Liga	15	0	7	2	—		11	0	0	0	33	2
	2013–14	La Liga	14	0	2	0	—		7	0	0	0	23	0
	2014–15	La Liga	27	0	4	2	—		12	0	3	0	46	2
	2015–16	La Liga	26	0	0	0	—		7	0	—		33	0
	2016–17	La Liga	23	1	3	1	—		10	2	3	0	39	4
	2017–18	La Liga	27	0	1	0	—		11	0	5	0	44	0
	2018–19	La Liga	32	2	4	0	—		4	0	3	0	43	2
	2019–20	La Liga	32	2	1	1	—		8	0	2	0	43	3
	2020–21	La Liga	31	2	0	0	—		9	0	1	0	41	2
	Total		236	8	24	7	—		83	2	17	0	360	17
Manchester United	2021–22	Premier League	22	1	2	0	0	0	5	0	—		29	1
	2022–23	Premier League	24	0	3	0	2	0	5	0	—		34	0
	2023–24	Premier League	22	1	5	0	1	0	4	0	—		32	1
	Total		68	2	10	0	3	0	14	0	—		95	2
Como	2024–25	Serie A	0	0	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
Career total			336	12	36	7	3	0	97	2	17	0	489	21

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France	2013	4	0
	2014	13	1
	2015	10	1
	2016	8	0
	2017	5	0
	2018	14	1
	2019	10	2
	2020	7	0
	2021	12	0
	2022	10	0
Total		93	5

France score listed first, score column indicates score after each Varane goal.

List of international goals scored by Raphaël Varane
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	18 November 2014	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	17	Sweden	1–0	1–0	Friendly
2	26 March 2015	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	18	Brazil	1–0	1–3	Friendly
3	6 July 2018	Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	47	Uruguay	1–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup
4	22 March 2019	Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova	55	Moldova	2–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
5	14 November 2019	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	63	Moldova	1–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying