In 2018, France elevated Raphaël Varane and Samuel Umtiti to the rank of legends. Established as central hinge, the two friends had a memorable World Cup to allow the Blues to win the second World Cup in their history in Russia. After this enormous peak, the two players were never able to find this level again and were victims of numerous physical problems. While Varane retired at 32, the player trained at OL bowed out a few weeks ago at 31.
A journey that commands respect. Asked about his two former comrades in the French team, Laurent Koscielny paid a vibrant tribute to the two defenders during an interview given to footballogue : “They put their bodies, their careers in the service of France. They stopped their careers because their bodies could no longer keep up. This state of mind, to give the maximum for the team, even if it means putting your career in difficulty, I take my hat off… Few players would have done it!”
