Former France international defender Raphaël Varane has launched “+ Fort,” an independent sport office in Paris designed to provide comprehensive career, medical, and financial support for high-level athletes, as reported by Ouest-France on October 9, 2026. The newly established entity aims to protect players in a high-stakes industry while operating alongside existing agents, legal representatives, and club staffs.
Launching the Independent Sport Office in Paris
Varane officially unveiled the structure on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Paris, stepping into a new phase of his post-playing career after announcing his retirement in 2024. Having finished his playing days with Italian club Como—where he also joined the board of directors—the 93-time France international shaped the initiative around three core pillars. Ouest-France detailed that the firm brings together career strategy, medical oversight, and wealth management under one independent umbrella.
The Three Pillars and Founding Associates
The structure relies on three distinct operational branches led by three founding partners. Varane oversees career strategy and performance, drawing on a playing career decorated with a World Cup and four UEFA Champions League titles. Orthopedic surgeon and knee specialist Hervé Silbert manages the medical branch, providing longitudinal and continuous monitoring of athletes’ physical health. Wealth management is directed by Guillaume Lucchini, founding partner at Scala Patrimoine, who advises clients on financial matters.
The collaboration stems from long-standing personal and professional relationships. Varane has worked with Silbert since he was 19 years old, while his professional relationship with Lucchini began following the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In 2023, while playing in Manchester, Varane introduced Silbert and Lucchini, who decided to merge their independent advisory frameworks into a unified entity two and a half years later.
Firm Integrates with Ecosystems to Protect Young Athletes
While the firm provides multi-disciplinary support, its founders explicitly state that “+ Fort” functions neither as a player agency nor a law firm. Instead, the entity seeks integration within existing professional ecosystems—including families, club staffs, and national team setups—rather than replacing them. According to Guillaume Lucchini, the increasing need for independent oversight stems from the vulnerability of young athletes managing substantial financial pressures in a lucrative industry.
“When you are a footballer, it is difficult to surround yourself with the right people, to avoid traps,” Varane stated, as reported by Ouest-France. “These are difficulties that, from the outside, are invisible. But a player, notably at the start of a career, sometimes has choices worthy of a business leader to make. He must delegate. There is a synergy to create.”
Expanding Support for Elite Athletes
The entity already counts several current French national team players among its existing clientele. Moving forward, Varane and his associates intend to extend their network to attract international profiles across heavily media-driven sports. By positioning themselves outside the traditional closed-door management structures typical of elite sports, the founders aim to establish a trusted global advisory framework tailored to short professional career spans.
