Samuel Umtiti Set to Retire from Football at Just 31

Former France international defender Samuel Umtiti is reportedly planning to retire from professional football at the age of just 31, bringing a premature end to a career that once promised so much.

Umtiti, a key figure in France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph, also lifted two La Liga titles with Barcelona, cementing his place among Europe’s elite centre-backs during his peak years in Spain.

But chronic injury problems — particularly with his knee — have plagued the latter part of his career, making it increasingly difficult for the defender to perform at the top level.

In 2024, while at Lille, Umtiti managed to play just one match. He underwent two separate knee surgeries — one in February and another in August — effectively ruling him out of any sustained comeback.