Samuel Umtiti: Former Barcelona And France World Cup Winner Retires From Football At 31

‎Samuel Umtiti, the former France and Barcelona defender who helped France win the World Cup, has retired from football at the age of 31.

‎He was most recently contracted with Ligue 1 club Lille, but he made only 13 appearances across two seasons, with the latter part of his career hampered by chronic cartilage damage in his knee.

‎”After an intense career with ups and downs, the time has come to say goodbye,” he said in a social media post on Monday.

‎”I gave my all with passion and regret nothing.”

‎Samuel Umtiti is a left-footed centre-back who earned 31 caps for France. Alongside Raphael Varane in defense, he played a vital role in France’s 2018 World Cup victory, scoring the only goal in the 1-0 semi-final win over Belgium and appearing in six matches during the tournament.

‎During his time with Barcelona, Umtiti made 133 appearances over seven years and won seven major trophies, including two consecutive La Liga titles.

‎In the 2017-18 campaign, Umtiti began experiencing knee pain. He opted against surgery and helped Barcelona to win the Spanish title before his success with France that summer.

‎He told L’Equipe in 2019, “I clenched my teeth and played as best I could.”

‎Umtiti After World Cup and Injury Battles

‎After the World Cup, Samuel Umtiti never played more than 18 games in a season for Barcelona. He underwent several treatments, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection therapy, but continued to struggle with pain.

‎His limited appearances, combined with Barcelona’s financial issues, led to a loan move to Italian side Lecce for the 2022-23 campaign.

‎In 2023, his contract with Barcelona was mutually terminated, despite still having three years remaining.

‎Umtiti made just six appearances for France since helping his side to the world title, and head coach Didier Deschamps said in June 2024, “The only thing that I have to say to him is thank you for everything you did for the national team and if we are world champions, we have to say thanks to him also because after that he had difficult years a difficult season and he didn’t play like he wanted.

‎”This is the only message I have for him, he is a good friend of mine and I know all the sacrifices he made for the national team.”

‎Samuel Umtiti came through the youth system at Lyon, where he made 170 appearances before joining Barcelona in 2016 at age 22.

‎He made his France debut that summer, in the 5-2 European Championship quarter-final win over Iceland, and played in the two remaining matches of the tournament.

‎He will forever remain in the history of the French national team thanks to his magnificent 2018 World Cup.