France midfielder Zinedine Zidane will retire after the World Cup in Germany, French TV channel Canal Plus reported Tuesday.
Zinedine Zidane celebrates after scoring for France in Euro 2004. Real
Madrid's Zidane, 33, announced he will retire after the 2006 World Cup in
Germany.
"It's my decision and it's final," Reuters news service quoted the French TV channel as reporting.
"I have to listen to my body and I cannot carry on for another year," Zidane was quoted as saying.
Zidane, nicknamed "Zizou," helped France win the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. Zidane, a Real Madrid player, was FIFA's World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003.
Real signed him from Juventus for $66 million in 2001 to make him the world's most expensive soccer player.