Varane recalls Mourinho's jab at Real Madrid: 'Why are you useless?'

Raphaël Varane, one of the most decorated defenders of his generation, recently offered a candid and revealing look into the early days of his professional journey during a live appearance on The Bridge, a YouTube talk show.

Seated alongside his compatriot and current Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, the 31-year-old opened up about the challenges, lessons, and defining moments that shaped his rise to footballing greatness with particular focus on his time under José Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Varane’s journey to the Spanish capital began in 2011, when he was just a teenager playing for RC Lens in Ligue 2. Despite his youth and limited experience, he caught the attention of some of football’s biggest names including Zinédine Zidane, who at the time was a key advisor at Real Madrid. Zidane personally called Varane to convince him to make the leap, and that call would change the trajectory of the young Frenchman’s career.

“I can only be grateful,” Varane said. “Zizou was the one who picked up the phone, and that was enough for me. He told me: ‘Come to Madrid. Give everything every day. Don’t worry you’ll improve. Just focus on working hard, and I’ll help guide you through it.’”

It was a huge leap for a 19-year-old to join one of the most high-pressure environments in world football. At Madrid, Varane found himself in a dressing room filled with stars, where competition for places was fierce. In central defense alone, he was contending with two of the game’s most established defenders Pepe and Sergio Ramos both leaders, both at their peak.

Rather than being thrown into the fire, Varane was eased into the squad. His first season saw him make 15 appearances, mostly in lower-stakes fixtures like the Copa del Rey or Champions League group matches where qualification had already been secured. It was a deliberate move by Mourinho and his staff, and one that Varane now recognizes as essential to his development.

“It helped me grow step by step,” he said. “I didn’t feel overwhelmed. But when expectations started to rise in my second season, I began to struggle mentally. I wasn’t playing much, I didn’t feel confident, and I felt lost.”

That shift in attitude didn’t go unnoticed by José Mourinho, a manager known for his psychological approach to motivating players. What came next would become one of the most memorable and career-defining interactions of Varane’s career.

“Early in the season, the team hadn’t started well,” Varane recalled. “One day, we were in the gym, and he looked at me and asked: ‘Why are you useless?’ I was shocked. Completely caught off guard. It wasn’t said to humiliate me it was a wake-up call. He knew exactly how to get through to me.”

Mourinho followed that blunt provocation with a challenge: Was Varane ready to start the following Wednesday, in a high-stakes Champions League match against Manchester City?

“He asked if I was ready,” Varane said. “And that was it. No sugarcoating. It was either take your chance or lose it.”

The Frenchman seized the opportunity. He started in place of none other than Sergio Ramos and delivered a composed, mature performance well beyond his years. Despite battling cramps late in the game, he held his ground against one of Europe’s most formidable attacking lineups. It was a turning point.

“If I had failed, I think they would have loaned me out. It could’ve changed everything,” he admitted. “But I didn’t. I stepped up, and from that moment, the season opened up for me.”

That 2012–13 campaign went on to become a breakthrough year for Varane. He made 33 appearances across all competitions, played key roles in major matches, and established himself as a genuine competitor in Madrid’s defensive hierarchy. His Champions League performances, in particular, stood out not least in the semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund, where he held his own under intense pressure.

“Mourinho has this ability to push you to the edge, and then pull the best out of you,” Varane said. “He forces you to ask more of yourself. Not everyone can handle it, but it made me stronger.”

That tough-love approach would prove instrumental in shaping Varane’s mindset for the rest of his career. Over the next decade, he evolved into one of the world’s premier defenders, combining grace and intelligence with athleticism and discipline. His trophy cabinet quickly filled up: four UEFA Champions League titles, three LaLiga titles, one Copa del Rey, and multiple UEFA Super Cups and FIFA Club World Cups with Real Madrid.

On the international stage, he was equally vital. In 2018, he was one of the cornerstones of the French national team that lifted the FIFA World Cup in Russia, playing every minute of the tournament and scoring a crucial goal in the quarter-final win over Uruguay.

After ten years in Madrid, Varane moved to Manchester United in 2021, where he spent two seasons, showing glimpses of his old self despite ongoing injury struggles. He later joined Italian club Como, but persistent physical problems eventually led him to announce his retirement from professional football during the current 2024–25 season.

Reflecting on his career, Varane credits many people for his success, but Mourinho’s role in his early growth stands out as particularly transformative.

“That moment in the gym being called ‘useless’ it stayed with me,” he said. “Not because it was cruel, but because it was real. It made me realize I had to prove myself. And once I did, everything changed.”