Seem a bit cruel as his career as a player isn't over technically though I believe its fair to say he will never play again at the top level after what we seen in the last 3 years...

Anyway, as you know, Samuel Umtiti is a Barca defender who used to play for Lyon but who's haven't been able to catch much game time nowaday and would have apparently even failed a medical recently at Renne (though his agent say that wasn't true but still...).

If you don't know what happened specifically in his career, you propably asking yourself how you go from being a key player in both Barca and the France team that won WC 2018 to being relagated much lower on the team hierarchy?

Answer is simple, injury. Umtiti was injured before the WC 2018 and should have been operated on immediatly, however, the operation and rehab following it would have meant he would miss WC 2018, something he refused on (people around also recommend him that apparently). And so he putted back the operation for later and instead had conservative treatment to try and minimize how worse the injury would get.

In the short term, this was gamble that he won as it permited him to be a key part of the WC 2018 winning squad and honestly, I think its fair to say this France side might not have won that tournament without him, or at least, not in the manner they did.

But in the long term this propably was the worst move he could have done for his career. Though it hard to blame him, many player would be ready to sacrifice so much more to win a WC.

At his best, I think its fair to say he was a very good CB, one of the most complete one out there, having good pace, physical strength, good ability in the air as well as being solid enough in passing and in technique. He's not that good anymore, sadly, and since then, have failed to play nearly as much as he used too in his prime.

Thought? Is it to soon to look back on his career?

Looking back at his career: injuries (you said it)

Even though I've been really busy with my studies, I felt compelled to return after winning the CL. It's also great to see the forum's veteran members still active.

Worth it for the world cup imo, as you said lot of players would sacrifice much more to win it.

@quikzyyy Only thing I'm happy about his choice is that the gamble actually paid in the end as he won world cup, there are a lot of players who try this kind of thing and never get any reward for it...

Sadly, I don't think its worth the sacrifice however, as you seriously risk your health and future for something you might not even be able to win in the end. I also think it set a bad example for the new generation where they think they need to do this as well if there chance this allow them to play and win the WC.

Its one of the few argument which do make me think WC every 2 years instead of 4 could solve some problems.

Worth it for the World Cup, in my opinion, since, as you mentioned, many players would make much greater sacrifices to win it.