​France are without one of their most important players after Raphael Varane decided to retire from the first team at the age of 29. A few days after the announcement, the Manchester United defender issued an explanation.

Raphael Varane talks about physical and mental exhaustion

In an interview with Canal+, Varane explains why he made the surprising decision to end his career with the French national team at just 29 years old.

“I gave everything, physically, mentally. When you play at a high level, it’s like a washing machine. We play all the time, we never stop. Calendars are overloaded. I could feel myself suffocating. The football player was going to swallow a person” – Raphael Varane.

The football player will soon become a father for the third time and wants to spend more time with his family.

Varane has 93 tackles for the Kokosului Galich representative team, with whom he played in three World Cups.

The defender became the world champion in 2018, and at the final tournament in Qatar, he won silver as part of the French team.

>> The reaction of the coach of France after the dismissal of Raphael Varane