Former Barcelona main player and 2018 World Cup champion has not played for two years

Former Barcelona central defender Samuel Umtiti, who once won the 2018 World Cup with France, is standing at the crossroads of his career and may face the choice of retirement.

With the 2025 summer transfer window closing, Umtiti has not found a new owner. The 31-year-old French defender has been unemployed for nearly 20 months since he played his last game for Lille on January 21, 2024. Now, he has to think carefully about a key question: whether to continue to stick to his career or retire with just a boot.

Umtiti's career should have been even more brilliant, but was severely hindered by frequent injuries. He has only made 13 appearances in the past two seasons. Especially the long-term injury to the left knee almost completely destroyed the competitive state of the World Cup champion.

Nevertheless, Umtiti never gave up publicly. In February 2024, he underwent two knee surgeries and since then he said that the injury no longer had the severe pain of the past, "it felt much better than before." This summer, he has been following his personal coach for high-intensity training in Barcelona, ​​working hard to restore his physical fitness and game form, trying to make his final sprint for returning to the arena.

At present, his future is still unclear, but Umtiti has not completely closed the door to return. According to Goal, he has received invitations from many clubs in France, Italy, the United States and the Middle East. Among them, the Major League of Professional Football (MLS) has attracted his attention in particular - the league's relatively loose schedule and a focus on player protection are regarded as ideal choice for him to start a new chapter in his career.

Looking back, Umtiti won two La Liga titles while playing for Barcelona, ​​and in 2018 he won the World Cup with the French national team, reaching the peak of his career.