France WC winner Umtiti retires at 31

Agency:

Former Barcelona centre back Samuel Umtiti, a key figure in France’s triumphant 2018 World Cup (WC) campaign, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 31.

A product of Olympique Lyonnais academy, Umtiti joined Barcelona in 2016, where he made 133 appearances and won seven major trophies, including two LaLiga titles. He last played for Ligue 1 club Lille.

The defender scored the decisive goal in the World Cup semi- final against Belgium and started in the final, where France beat Croatia 4-2 to lift the trophy for the second time.

Umtiti’s career was hampered by chronic cartilage damage in his knee.