Manchester United’s defender, Raphaël Varane, has shared insights into the repercussions of experiencing multiple concussions throughout his career.
The 30-year-old expressed that these concussions have “taken a toll on his body.” Speaking with L’Equipe, Varane disclosed that he persisted through numerous matches for both club and country while grappling with the aftermath of head injuries.
The former French international, who retired from international football in February 2023, recounted getting concussed during a 2014 World Cup round-of-16 encounter against Nigeria. Varane admitted to completing the match almost on “autopilot,” acknowledging uncertainty about his ability to respond if spoken to at the time.
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He further revealed playing with symptoms of head injuries for Real Madrid during a Champions League match against Manchester City in the COVID-19-affected 2019-20 season. Varane recalled leaving the field in a LaLiga game against Getafe five days prior, feeling “intensely tired” between matches. Initially attributing it to typical end-of-season fatigue, he reached the warm-up of the European game and felt so fatigued that he “almost wanted to slap himself.”