Raphaël Varane to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Varane fans. Speculation had been rife that the French footballer is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 33, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 24/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouRaphaël

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouRaphaël was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Raphaël Varane was unlike any other footballer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouRaphaël”
— @universalObserver, 23 May 2026

“Didn't Raphaël Varane retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 23 May 2026

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