Raphael Varane

Raphael Varane is a French professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Premier League side Manchester United. Endowed with tremendous physical strength and speed, the Frenchman is flawless at bringing the ball out from the back and is considered one of the best defenders of his generation.

Early Life

Varane was born on April 25, 1993, in the city of Lille in northern France. He grew up in the nearby town of Hellemmes, where he began playing football at a young age.

Footballing days started way early for Varane when he joined the local club AS Hellemmes at the age of 7. Two years later, he started training with RC Lens and quickly ascended up the club’s youth ranks. He represented the team in both U16 and U19 formats, winning the Championnat National des 16 and in the 2008-2009 season with the former team.

Club Career

Varane made his professional debut for Lens in the 2010-2011 season against Montpellier, where he played the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 win. Varane quickly rose through the ranks and soon became a regular starter for the team.

After Lens was relegated back to Ligue 2 in 2011, Varane signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid for a transfer fee reported to be around 10 million Euros. At 19 years of age with little experience, it was always going to be difficult for Varane to force his way into the first team. He had to wait a few months before making his La Liga debut, which came in a match against Racing Santander in September 2011. Three days later, Varane became the youngest foreign goal scorer for Madrid after his goal against Rayo Vallecano, thus marking his arrival in style.

He quickly became an integral part of the team under then-manager Jose Mourinho, and helped the club win the La Liga title in his debut season. Varane went on to become a regular for Real Madrid, forming a lethal partnership with Sergio Ramos in defence.

He was a part of Real Madrid for a decade, making 360 appearances and scoring 17 goals in all competitions. He also won a host of major trophies with Real Madrid, including four UEFA Champions League titles, three La Liga titles, and four FIFA Club World Cups.

On July 27, 2021, Varane joined Manchester United on a four-year contract for around £41 million. He made his debut on August 29, 2021, and contributed an assist to the winning goal in a 1–0 win away against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He won the EFL Cup in his second season with the Red Devils, beating Newcastle 2-0 in the final in February 2023.

International Career

In 2013, Varane started his first game for France in a qualifier for the World Cup against Georgia. His impressive performance at the international level earned him a seat in the France squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Varane played a key role in France's successful World Cup campaign in 2018, where they won the tournament for the second time in their history. He formed a strong defensive partnership with Samuel Umtiti, and was instrumental in keeping clean sheets in the knockout rounds of the competition. Varane also scored a crucial goal in France's 2-0 win over Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

In addition to his success at the World Cup, Varane has also helped France to win the UEFA Nations League in 2021, and was named in the Team of the Tournament for his performances. He also featured in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, starting in the final against Argentina, however, ended up on the losing side after losing 4-2 on penalties.

On February 2, 2023, Varane announced his retirement from international football on Instagram. He made 93 appearances for France, scoring five goals.

Records

• At the age of 18 years and 152 days, Varane became the youngest player ever to score a goal for Lens in the French Ligue 1.

• Varane is one of only five players in history to win both the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League in the same year (2018).

• Varane became the youngest player ever to win the UEFA Champions League in two consecutive seasons, doing so in 2016 and 2017.

• In the 2017-18 season, Varane became the first French player ever to win four UEFA Champions League titles.
  

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

Outside of football, Varane is interested in music and plays the piano. He has also been involved in various charitable initiatives, including supporting a foundation that helps children with disabilities.

Varane is known to be a private person and is not very active on social media. He prefers to keep his focus on football and his family, and is known for his professionalism and dedication on and off the pitch.

Net Worth

As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $20 million.

Family

Varane comes from a sports-oriented family. His father, Gaston Varane, was a football player who played for several French clubs including AS Corbeil-Essonnes, AS Herblay, and FC Martigues. His mother, Annie Varane, was a basketball player who played for several clubs in the north of France.

Varane has two siblings, a younger brother, and a younger sister. His brother, Anthony, is also a footballer who currently plays as a striker for Stade Rennais in the French Ligue 1.

Wife

Varane is married to his long-time partner Camille Tytgat. They have a son named Ruben and a daughter named Anais.

Houses

In 2019, Varane purchased a luxury penthouse apartment in the center of the Spanish capital. The apartment reportedly has an impressive 360-degree view of Madrid, as well as a private rooftop terrace, swimming pool, and gym.

Varane is also known to own a house in his hometown of Lille, France, where he spends time with his family during the off-season.