Raphael Varane, a defender who used to play for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and France, has quit football. He is 31 years old.

Varane moved for free to Italian team Como in July, but hurt his knee on his first game against Sampdoria last month.

The centre back says he will stay with the team but won’t play.

“I hold myself to the highest standard, I want to go out strong, not just holding on to the game,” he wrote on the app. “It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct.”

In his early years, Varane played for Lens in France, but he only made the first team for one season before moving to Real Madrid in 2011.

During his ten years in the Spanish city, he won 18 trophies, including three La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.

The defender moved to Old Trafford for £34 million in the summer of 2021 and played 95 times in all categories.

He won the Carabao Cup in 2022, and his last game for the club was in May, when they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Varane first played for France in 2013 and has since won 93 caps. In 2018, he helped France win the World Cup, and in 2021, he led France to the Nations League title and the 2022 World Cup final.

“I have fallen and risen a thousand times, and this time, it’s the moment to stop and hang my boots up with my final game winning a trophy at Wembley,” he added.

“There is nothing I would change about what I did. I have won more than I ever thought possible, but more than the awards and praise, I am happy that I have always been honest and did my best to leave things better than I found them. I hope I’ve done you all proud.