Samuel Umtiti: French defender retires from football at age 31

Former France international Samuel Umtiti has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31.

The ex-Barcelona and Lyon defender confirmed his decision in an emotional post on Instagram:

“After an intense career with ups and downs, the time has come to say goodbye... I gave EVERYTHING with passion and I regret NOTHING.”

Umtiti’s career was heavily disrupted by recurring knee injuries, which limited his appearances in recent years. He left Lille at the end of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season, having signed for the French club in January 2024 following a loan spell in Italy with Lecce.

Born in Cameroon, Umtiti moved to France as a child and rose through the ranks at Olympique Lyonnais, where he began his professional career. In 2016, he secured a high-profile move to Barcelona, where he went on to win two La Liga titles and three Copa del Rey trophies during a seven-year spell at Camp Nou.

The pinnacle of his career came in 2018, when Umtiti played a starring role in France’s World Cup triumph in Russia. His memorable header in the semi-final against Belgium secured Les Bleus’ place in the final, where they eventually lifted the trophy.

Umtiti becomes the fifth member of France’s 2018 World Cup-winning squad to retire, following Raphael Varane, Blaise Matuidi, Adil Rami, and Steve Mandanda.

Although his career ended earlier than many would have hoped, Umtiti leaves behind a legacy as one of the key architects of France’s second World Cup title.