Varane: Winning EFL and FA Cup with MU was more thrilling than UCL glory with RM

Former Manchester United star Raphaël Varane recently sent his personal best wishes to Casemiro and also opened up about his feelings during his time with the Red Devils. 

He said he could truly feel the people’s passion for football in Manchester, and looking back, he has no regrets at all about joining Manchester United, describing it as an incredible experience. He even noted that the excitement of celebrating victories in the League Cup or FA Cup with United was greater than that of winning the Champions League.

Varane was a fan favourite throughout his three-year spell at Manchester United. He initially joined the club during Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s tenure, arriving at the same time as Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho. His signing was regarded as a statement of intent from Manchester United to the rest of the Premier League.

Although the World Cup winner was constantly plagued by injury issues, and his Red Devils career was disrupted by tactical overhauls following Ralf Rangnick’s succession of Solskjær and the subsequent appointment of Erik ten Hag, Varane still proved to be a crucial contributor to the team’s two trophy triumphs, adding a glorious chapter to his own list of honours.

The French centre-back spoke of a particularly shocking incident during his time at Manchester United, and also recalled an anecdote involving his former teammate Casemiro, who was also a Real Madrid old boy.

The pair followed similar career paths, swapping Real Madrid, the Galácticos, for Manchester United, the Red Devils, bringing with them a wealth of experience and a winning mentality.

During an appearance on The Bridge Show, Varane looked back on his title-winning moments with United and compared the celebrations to those from his Real Madrid days. He stated that he could truly feel the public’s passion for football in Manchester, and looking back, he had no regrets about joining Manchester United, describing it as an incredible journey. He even claimed that the excitement of celebrating League Cup or FA Cup victories with United surpassed that of winning the Champions League.

“I was even more elated celebrating the League Cup or FA Cup wins than I was winning the Champions League… it was absolutely crazy!”

“In England, especially in Manchester, you can genuinely feel the people’s passion for football; it runs through your daily life.”

“Looking back now, I have no regrets about joining Manchester United. It was an incredible experience.”

“Why did I leave Real Madrid? After we won the Champions League in 2018, we barely celebrated at all. It felt like just another routine achievement, another box ticked. Our focus was already on winning the next Champions League title.”

“Then that summer, I went on to win the World Cup. I was in need of a new challenge.”

Similarly to Varane, Casemiro has also announced that he will leave Manchester United at the end of this season, when his contract expires. Despite facing heavy scepticism when they first signed, fans are full of gratitude for the pair’s contributions to the club.

Varane also left a comment under Casemiro’s social media announcement, referring to the Brazilian international as “Mi Soldado” — My Soldier.

This partnership achieved success both at Real Madrid and Manchester United, establishing themselves as leaders in the squad and injecting much-needed stability into a team that had undergone frequent changes in recent years. Amid all the upheaval, both players lifted trophies during their spells at Old Trafford, and those honours have become cherished parts of their respective careers.