Raphael Varane reflected on his career, particularly his time at Real Madrid. The Frenchman also gave his assessment of the current squad and did not rule out a return in the future, albeit away from the pitch.
In his recent interview with ‘AS’, Raphael Varane looked back on his footballing career as a retired player. He addressed numerous topics concerning Real Madrid, both his time at the club and the current state of affairs at the Bernabeu. He matured, developed, and shone at the highest level wearing the ‘Merengue’ shirt.
Varane explained how that winning mentality is cultivated at Real Madrid: “There wasn’t much talk because everyone knew what they had to do. They were all top players in their prime with complementary qualities. There was no need for a detailed plan because each player possessed the footballing intelligence to know when to press, when to close ranks, or when to maintain possession. It all flowed.”
“Benzema didn’t press for 90 minutes, but when he did, he’d win the ball back and score. He has a nose for the game. And that applied to the whole team. We knew how to suffer, we knew how to play, we knew how to press… It was also a team that played together for a long time,” the Frenchman acknowledged.
Zinedine Zidane, a figure who significantly shaped his career: “He was a leader who was very close to the players, gave a lot of confidence, and always protected the team. He never blamed anyone else. Well… he understood the players well. He wasn’t one to shout much, but you listened when he spoke. He was a calm leader and always pushed you to give something more. He liked taking risks. ‘Take more risks. If you fail, it’s my fault’, he’d tell you.”
Could Huijsen be a centre-back to markan era? “I don’t know, we’ll see… But the fact that he’s playing so many matches in his first season, at just 20 years old, is not appreciated enough. That’s very impressive. And as I said, we need to be patient. It takes time, as a player and as a person, to process what’s happening to him. I know what that’s like; I can see myself in him. But to do what he’s doing, you need character and personality,” he stated.
He does not rule out returning to Real Madrid in some capacity: “Yes, of course, why not. I have a good relationship with the club, I live here… We’ll see what happens in the future. Actually, I’m very comfortable with my projects. The business world and the football world are very similar. And I, in reality, became the CEO of my own company at 23 because I created a group of people around me. I also really like the idea of changing the world, supporting companies that make sense to me…”
