This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has officially retired from professional football, bringing an end to a storied career that saw him win numerous titles with the Red Devils and the French national team.
According to the Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport, Evra made the announcement on July 29, 2019, stating, "My career as a player is officially over."
Evra, who turned 38 in May 2019, made his name with Nice and Monaco before joining Manchester United in 2006. During his time at Old Trafford, he made almost 300 appearances, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League.
He later moved to Juventus in 2014, where he won two Serie A titles, before spells at Marseille and West Ham. Evra also played 81 times for France and captained the team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Now, Evra is turning his attention to coaching, having started the course for the UEFA B licence in 2013. He aims to finish the course and take the A licence within the next year and a half, allowing him to manage a team.
Evra was quick to praise the influence of his former Manchester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, who predicted that two of his players would become top-level coaches: Ryan Giggs and Pat Evra. "I think of Sir Alex as a father," Evra said. "He accepted me just as I am, sometimes a leader, sometimes arrogant."
