Former France, Manchester United and Juventus defender Patrice Evra retires

Former France, Manchester United and Juventus full-back Patrice Evra has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.

The left-back was been without a club since departing West Ham United last summer and has opted to end his playing career in order to focus on coaching.

The Senegal-born defender, who won seven league titles in two countries, wants to follow in the footsteps of former Manchester United teammate Ryan Giggs and enjoy success in management.

He’s been studying for a UEFA B Licence side 2013 and hopes to have completed the A Licence, which would entitle him to coach in the League of Ireland First Division, within 18 months.

"My playing career is officially over," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I started training for the UEFA B Coaching Licence in 2013, now I want to finish it and then go on to get the UEFA A Licence.

"In a year and a half, if everything goes well, I'll be ready to lead a team. Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted at the time that two of his players would become coaches of a high level: Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra."

Evra won 81 caps in nine years for Les Blues, helping his side reach the final of the European Championships on home soil in 2016, where Didier Deschamps' side were beaten in the final by Portugal.

Evra won five Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League during an eight year spell with Manchester United before leaving the club in 2014.

He had caught the eye of many in Europe for his performances during Monaco’s run to the 2003-04 Champions League final, where they were defeated 3-0 by Jose Mourinho’s Porto in the final.

Following his lengthy spell in England, Evra moved to Italy where he would help Juve to two Serie A titles and another Champions League final, losing to Real Madrid in the final.

He spent time in France with Marseilles before being sacked for kicking a fan in the head, and spent the final season of his professional career in England with West Ham.