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France superstar Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that he will call time on his
illustrious career after this summer's World Cup finals.
The 33-year-old has been at the pinnacle of the game for a decade and has
proved his class for both club and country.
However, he has struggled with injuries in the last 18 months and has
confirmed that this summer's showpiece event in Germany will be his
swansong.
"It's my decision and it's final," the Real Madrid playmaker told French
television channel Canal+.
"After the World Cup, I will stop playing football.
"The World Cup is my last goal. That's the only thing I want to focus on.
"I want people to be in the know before the World Cup."
Zidane initially announced his retirement from international football after
Euro 2004, but later changed his mind.
However, it would appear that the former Bordeaux man will not change this
stance, citing the rigours of the modern game as a catalyst for his
announcement.
"The context was different then," Zidane said in reference to 2004.
"This is definitive. I'm stopping everything. Afterwards I can play as an
amateur but that's up to me. I'm relieved. Now I can look forward to the
World Cup.
"I didn't want to go on for another year. The past two years I haven't been
on top form and that's no good when you play at a club like Real.
"I'm at an age when it's more and more difficult (to play) every year. I
don't want to spend another year like last year or even the last two years."
The former Juventus star's last game for Real could be on May 7 against
Villarreal, while the World Cup finals in Germany could provide the fitting
send-off for one of the world's greatest players.
Zidane has accrued 99 caps for his country and has landed the world player
of the year award on three occasions, 1998, 2000 and 2003.
He scored twice for his country as France claimed the World Cup on home soil
in 1998 and helped them add the European crown to their trophy cabinet in
2000.
However, he was part of the squad that performed so badly in 2002 and 2004
and will be keen to eradicate those memories in Germany this summer.
Real signed Zidane for some ￡42 million from Juventus in 2001 and his
influence at the Santiago Bernabeu will be sorely missed.
http://home.skysports.com/list.a ... nnounces+retirement |
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IP卡
狗仔卡
發表於 2006-4-26 02:26:56
提升卡
置頂卡
沉默卡
喧囂卡
變色å¡
顯身å¡
發表於 2006-4-26 02:32:50
發表於 2006-4-26 05:10:08
風馬牛不相及
細哨d動作太快同埋好多碎步, 所以冇zidane 咁瀟灑 ....
