World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti retires from football at 31

• Ex-Barcelona centre-back Samuel Umtiti has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31
• Umtiti, who is best known for his time with La Liga giants FC Barcelona, struggled with chronic cartilage problems in his knee during his time as a professional footballer

Ex-Barcelona centre-back Samuel Umtiti has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31. Umtiti played a key role in France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Belgium to send Les Bleus to the final. He also started in the final which Didier Deschamps’ side beat Croatia 4-2 to lift the prestigious trophy for the second time in history.

Umtiti, who is best known for his time with La Liga giants FC Barcelona, struggled with chronic cartilage problems in his knee during his time as a professional footballer. The experienced centre-back spent the last two seasons at Lille where he made just six Ligue 1 appearances before leaving the club in June.

Umtiti announced a few weeks ago that he’ll retire if he fails to find a club before the 2025 summer transfer window closes.

“After an intense career with ups and downs, the time has come to say goodbye. I gave my all with passion and regret nothing. I would like to thank all the clubs, presidents, coaches, and players I have had the privilege of working with. Thank you, Lyon. Thank you, Barcelona. Thank you, Lille. Thank you, Lecce. Thank you, France. And thank you to all the supporters for your support.” Umtiti said in an emotional video posted on social media on Monday evening.

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Samuel Umtiti’s retirement brings down the curtain on a journey that has been marked by both glory and frustrations. Besides winning the FIFA World Cup trophy with France, the centre-back also achieved success at club level, having won the La Liga twice and the Copa del Rey three times with Barcelona.

The legend has gone into retirement without revealing his future plans. However, we expect him to stay involved in the beautiful game considering he was one of the best at the peak of his career.

Samuel Umtiti Career

Umtiti was born in Cameroon and moved to France when he was two years old. He started playing football at the local club Ménival when he was five and soon caught the attention of Lyon who signed him in 2002.

The ex-France international went through the ranks at Olympique Lyonnais youth academy until 2012 when he made his first senior appearance in a Coupe de France match against Lyon-Duchere. His team won the match 3-1 and he went on to make a total of 18 appearances in his debut season.

Umtiti became a regular starter at Lyon during the 2012-13 season and soon started catching the attention of top European clubs. During his time in France, the centre-back won the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions.

Barcelona signed Umtiti in the summer of 2016 for a reported €25 million. He made his debut for the Catalans in the second leg of the 2016 Supercopa de Espana and soon became a key player for the team under manager Luis Enrique.

The Frenchman, who wore the No. 23 shirt, spent six seasons at Barcelona and went on to make 134 appearances. He scored two goals for Barca and helped the La Liga club lift two La Liga, three Copa del Rey and two Spanish Super Cups.

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Umtiti spent time on loan at Italian side Lecce before Barca terminated his contract in the summer of 2023. He returned to France where he joined Lille but injuries affected his progress at the club. He left the Ligue 1 side in the summer and then announced his retirement yesterday.