Zidane to retire after World Cup
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-18 10:20

MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid's French international midfielder Zinedine Zidane plans to retire after the World Cup.

Zinedine Zidane keeps his eyes on the ball during his Spanish first division soccer match against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid January 15, 2006. [Reuters]

"The Frenchman told (Real chairman) Florentino (Perez) this will be his last season," according to Tuesday's edition of the Spanish sports daily AS.

"Zizou, who is under contract with Real Madrid until 2007, is ready to renounce his final year with the club to go out with a bang and give it his all in these last five months," AS wrote of the 33-year-star, who led France to World Cup glory eight years ago.

On Sunday, Zidane, who helped Real to their ninth European Cup win three seasons ago by scoring in the final against Bayer Leverkusen of Germany, scored his first ever hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Sevilla which saw him show flashes of his old form which has dipped on occasion in recent months.

Despite that showing, AS said that Real "will accept the position of the man from Marseille with resignation (and admiration)."