Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has explained what went through his mind upon suffering a muscle injury weeks before the Qatar World Cup.
Raphael Varane has admitted that he initially thought he was going to miss the Qatar World Cup after he suffered a muscle injury against Chelsea in October.
Varane was forced off injured in the first half against Chelsea after succumbing to a muscle injury and was replaced by Victor Lindelof.
It was first feared that the former Real Madrid defender could miss the World Cup, given how long players usually take to recover from a hamstring injury but after a medical examination, it was confirmed that the injury wasn’t as bad as earlier feared and Varane could feature in the Qatar World Cup.
The 29-year-old missed United’s remaining matches ahead of the international break but Didier Deschamps still included him in his France squad for the World Cup.
Reflecting on the setback, the Manchester United defender: “It [his injury vs Chelsea] was a difficult moment. At first, I thought I had a more serious injury than it really was. I thought it was over for the World Cup. A sportsman’s life has ups and downs, you have to pick yourself up and come back stronger.
“I went into fast-track recovery mode, put in a lot of effort, and made a lot of sacrifices to be ready. It was difficult but I’m making the most of every moment. I know exactly what it means to wear the France jersey. I was desperate to overcome [the injury].”