Raphaël Varane: From World Cup Winner to the Board of Education at Como 1907

Considered one of the most talented defenders of his generation, Raphaël Varane began his career at French club Lens and spent just one season in the first team before joining Real Madrid in 2011. He enjoyed a glittering 10-year career in the Spanish capital, winning 18 trophies – including three La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.

The defender moved to Old Trafford in the summer 2021 where he won the Carabao Cup in 2022 and his final appearance for the club was in the FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City at Wembley in May 2024

Varane made his France debut in 2013 and earned 93 caps, winning the World Cup in 2018, the Nations League in 2021 and reaching the World Cup final again in 2022.

Recently retired he began the next phase of his career in a new position on the Education board for Como 1907.

In this position, he will collaborate with Osian Roberts, Como 1907’s Head of Development, and Juliette Bolon, Head of Education. They will focus on supporting the club’s youth development efforts. Varane aims to help the young athletes in the Como 1907 academy teams as well as the larger Como community by implementing various educational initiatives. He’d like to incorporate academic, leadership, and vocational training into the youth programs.

He will also be helping to launch and curate a new residential Summer Camp Programme for 10 to 18-year-olds. Offering more than just soccer training, the Como 1907 Summer Camp promises a transformative experience for soccer enthusiasts blending athletic development with an unforgettable immersive experience into what makes Lake Como so special.

Drawing on his experience in high-performance environments, he also hopes to elevate the club’s digital infrastructure, refining data analytics, enhancing ticketing systems, and bolstering the overall fan experience.

Raphaël recently sat down with BLU magazine to talk about his new role, his colleagues, and the different initiatives he will be a part of.

You’ve recently transitioned from being a professional footballer to being part of the Education Board of Como 1907. How has this shift been for you?

It’s totally a new role for me. A different challenge, but I really enjoy sharing my experience and still learning from football but on a different side. It’s quite interesting to share and promote and also participate in the development of the club and the future. This is something very exciting. 

What attracted you to the Como project in the first place?

The Como project was very interesting for me because of the vision and building the future of the club not only on the pitch but also off the pitch. 

In your new role, you’re collaborating closely with Osian Roberts and Juliette Bolon on youth development and educational programs. How has it been working with them?

With Osian and Juliette, it’s amazing to work with them. They have a lot of experience but also still want to learn a lot. They have that humility to keep looking forward and trying to improve everyday. We are working on a lot of projects but also the communication is excellent and we share our knowledge with each other, and that’s the way to improve. 

You’re set to enhance the club’s youth development programs. What specific initiatives are you excited to implement to nurture young talent?

Yeah, for the young development, we are looking to create the best environment possible for them to grow, to develop as a player but also as a person, as a man and as a woman. The idea is to give them all the tools possible for them to be ready to improve their capacity and learn a lot but in a positive and safe environment.

You’ve mentioned that this new phase feels like a “second birth.” Can you share more about what drives you in this chapter of your career and how it aligns with your personal values?

Yeah, it feels like a “second birth” for me. It’s like a new start as a professional but I still keep the same values I have been with my entire journey. The work hard, the respect, the humility, the ambition, that’s something strong in me and I want to keep this for life and I also want to share it for the young players. But in the whole project, we are using these kinds of values to build the future.

Reflecting on your illustrious playing career, what key lessons do you intend to bring into this role? 

I have a lot of experience in football and one of the key lessons I have learned is resilience, I think it’s the most important. We have to be mentally strong and confident but also it’s important to share and communicate internally but also with the community all around the club to build a strong identity. I think we are in a good way and we want to keep moving forward. The Como project is still a new project, but we want to build it with the community also.

How do you plan to involve the local community in Como 1907’s initiatives, ensuring that the club’s growth positively impacts the broader area? 

We also plan to collaborate with the schools for the young players. Yeah, with the local community we already have some projects in the city, like EdVentura, but a few more projects are coming. EdVentura is a new indoor play center designed for children ages 5 through 11. Here, children are inspired to stay active while engaging in educational play that sparks creativity, curiosity, and fun.

Como 1907 is launching a residential Summer Camp Programme for 10 to 18-year-olds in Summer 2025. Given your experience with the Varane Training Courses, which offer free football training to children, how do you plan to integrate your expertise from that side into Como 1907’s summer camps to provide a transformative experience for young participants?

On the summer camp project, we are looking to bring people to Como, the young people between 10 and 18. I can also share my experience myself because I have done this kind of camp with my foundation so I can share what I have learned and how to create the best conditions possible for the young people to learn, to enjoy football, and develop all the skills they can. This is an amazing project, and I will be involved in it.

Based on your journey, what advice would you offer to young athletes aspiring to balance sports and education effectively?

One advice I can give to the young players if they want to develop the sport and also their education is to work hard and to believe in what they are doing. I think the education side can help you on the sports side. It’s a balance, you can do it together, and you don’t have to make a choice. I think the best way to develop yourself as a person, to your 100%, to your maximum, is to do both things. We will create the best conditions possible to make this possible.

You joined the fans at a bar to watch a Como game recently, how was that and how are you finding the city and the people of Como, the whole atmosphere around the club? 

Yeah, I went to watch a game in a bar in Como. The atmosphere was good, the people were excited, and I think it was a good way for me to connect with the fans. I feel something very positive all around the city. The club has not been fighting in the top division for 21 years so it’s amazing to see everything is happening in the city and at the club and hopefully it’s just the beginning and we will be building towards an even brighter future.

As parting words Varane says “I think it’s a very special project (referring to Como 1907) and I am happy to make it known all around the world as an ambassador.” There is no doubt that Varane’s impact off the field will be as strong as his impact on the field.You can watch Raphaël Varane talk about his new role and learn more about Como 1907’s educational board exclusively on Como TV. https://tv.comofootball.com/