Varane reflects on France's 2010 World Cup embarrassment as Bafana visit opens old wounds

France defender and captain Raphael Varane only takes the positives from Les Bleus' embarrassing exit from the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The Manchester United centre-back was only 18 years old and was already touted by then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson as the next best defender in world football, despite not making the France squad for the World Cup on African soil.

France only scored one goal in the three matches they played through Florent Malouda, which came against Bafana Bafana.

But there were more significant issues in the French camp.

The embarrassing part was that infighting in the French camp was well documented by the media, while the disappointing fact is that they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Bafana, which saw them on an early plane ride back to Western Europe.

Almost 12 years later, Bafana are in Lille, set for an international friendly against Didier Deschamps' outfit at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Tuesday.

"That happened in the past, and there have been a lot of changes since then," Varane reflected on the incidents that occurred in Knysna, South Africa, in 2010 ahead of France's home match against South Africa.

"It was up to us and the federation to restructure the team, and we have done that. So, I choose to see the positive of what that experience in South Africa has brought to the team than look to what happened then."

READ HERE | Broos aware of Bafana's poor finishing but not eager to 'talk too much about it'

Hugo Lloris is the only member remaining from that 2010 World Cup squad, but Varane will wear the captain's armband against Hugo Broos' charges on Tuesday evening.

"Of course, I am proud to be captain of Les Bleus, and I was fortunate to be captain at just 21 years old," he said.

"I grew up not too