The Former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender Raphaël Varane stated that one of football’s most successful manager José Mourinho during a time together in training at the Santiago Bernabéu called him a useless player.
Raphaël Varane made his way to join the Spanish side in the summer of 2011 from Lens, joining Mourinho’s side who is about to make his debut on his second season for the Spanish side as the club’s newly appointed manager
Rafael Varan made a statement telling Bridge: “during my arrival at Madrid, I was told by Mourinho: ‘I needed just one thing for one and a half hour every single day, you have to give me everything on the pitch, don’t you worry about anything else, you will progress and I will take care of everything you just have to relax.
Raphaël Varane Opens Up: “Mourinho Once Called Me Useless” – A Journey of Resilience and Respect
Raphaël Varane, one of the most decorated defenders of modern football, recently shared a personal and surprising story from his early days at Real Madrid a story that involves one of football’s most iconic and polarizing figures: José Mourinho. In an honest and emotional interview, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United center-back revealed how Mourinho once called him “useless” during training, a comment that initially shook him, but ultimately became a driving force behind his growth and success.
This revelation adds a new layer of insight into Varane’s remarkable journey from a teenage prospect at Lens to winning Champions League titles at Real Madrid and finally retiring after a brief spell at Italian club Como. Here’s how it all unfolded.
From Lens to the Bernabéu: A Teenage Gamble
In the summer of 2011, an 18-year-old Raphaël Varane made a significant leap in his career by signing for Spanish giants Real Madrid from French side RC Lens. At the time, he was relatively unknown on the global stage, but his towering presence, tactical intelligence, and composure on the ball had caught the attention of Real Madrid’s scouting network and more importantly, the club’s newly appointed manager, José Mourinho.
Mourinho was embarking on his second season in charge of Real Madrid, a team filled with superstar names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, and Karim Benzema. Varane’s inclusion in such a roster was ambitious, but Mourinho had a plan.
Varane recalled a key moment when he first arrived at the club:
“During my arrival at Madrid, I was told by Mourinho: ‘I need just one thing from you, every single day, for one and a half hours on the pitch, give me everything. Don’t worry about anything else. You will progress, and I’ll take care of the rest. Just relax.’”
Those words left a lasting impression on Varane. It was a moment of reassurance from a manager known more for his tough love than gentle encouragement.
A Season of Learning: The Slow Build
Despite the promise of support, Varane’s first season at Madrid was relatively quiet on the pitch.
“I think I played about fifteen matches in total in my first season,” he shared. “Most of them were either in cup games or in matches where we had already qualified.”
Rather than being thrown into the deep end, Varane was carefully integrated into the squad. Mourinho appeared to be managing his development gradually allowing the young Frenchman time to adapt to the demands of one of the most pressurized environments in world football.
That deliberate pacing gave Varane a solid foundation. He watched and learned from experienced teammates, studied the rhythm of La Liga, and began to understand the tactical nuances Mourinho demanded from his defenders.
But as his confidence grew, so did his expectations of himself.
“I had a wonderful first season, but I was expected to show more. I overplayed a little because I felt I had to prove myself, even when I wasn’t fully comfortable.”
The Comment That Stung: “Why Are You Useless?”
It was during this period of internal pressure and growing pains that Mourinho delivered a blunt—and in Varane’s view, shocking criticism.
“Mourinho is someone I respect so much,” Varane began. “But he once said to me straight to my face: ‘But why are you useless?’”
The comment, raw and unexpected, left Varane stunned.
“I was shocked. I looked at him with a confused mind and said, ‘It’s not easy for me. I’m giving my best, and it’s been a difficult start to the season.’”
To many, such words from a manager might feel demoralizing. But Varane, in retrospect, sees it differently. It was Mourinho’s tough love approach, designed to challenge rather than belittle. The message wasn’t just about that moment it was about pushing Varane to rise to the level he believed the player could achieve.
A Decade of Dominance in Madrid
Despite the rocky start and Mourinho’s intense coaching style, Varane flourished at Real Madrid. Over ten seasons at the Spanish capital, he established himself as one of the best defenders in the world. His trophy cabinet tells the story:
4 UEFA Champions League titles
3 La Liga titles
3 UEFA Super Cups
4 FIFA Club World Cups
1 Copa del Rey
3 Spanish Super Cups
That’s a total of 18 major trophies in a single decade with Los Blancos.
Varane’s calm demeanor, tactical awareness, and clean tackling made him a reliable presence at the heart of Madrid’s defense. Often playing alongside club captain Sergio Ramos, he formed one of Europe’s most formidable defensive partnerships.
Jose Mourinho is someone I respect so much. The way he acts towards players and he ones told me straight to my face: Bit why are you useless?’ I was shocked, I looked at him with a confused mind, I said to him it was not easy for me because I was giving my best and I has been a very difficult start to the season.”
Rafael Varan won 18 trophies during his successful 10 seasons at the Spanish side Real Madrid before his £42 Million move to the English side Manchester United back in 2021
He became a key defender for Manchester United before departing to join the Seria A side COMO In July 2024
After suffering a knee injury on his debut for Como, Varane announced his retirement from professional football in September 2024.
He has been appointed as a board member at Como
