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Zidane sets retirement date
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| evil_bastard |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3106495.stm
France midfielder Zinedine Zidane has announced that he will retire when his current Real Madrid contract expires in 2005.
Zidane, who will be 33 when he hangs up his boots, was signed by Madrid from Juventus for a world-record fee of £46.5m in 2001.
The midfielder, who is currently on Real's three-week tour of China, insists there will be no talking him out of the decision.
"I have two years left to my contract with Real Madrid and until then I will play as well as possible, whatever the competition," said Zidane.
"After those two years I will retire."
His final matches for France are set to come at next summer's European Championships in Portugal, given that he has ruled himself out of the 2006 World Cup.
Zidane was a member of the France team that won the World Cup in 1998 and European Championships in 2000 and has 82 caps for his country. |
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| zarathustra |
This is somewhat of a surprise. At least he's doing it on his own terms.
Edit:
What is the usual age for football player retirement? |
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| Kongo_kim |
| quote: | Originally posted by zarathustra
This is somewhat of a surprise. At least he's doing it on his own terms.
Edit:
What is the usual age for football player retirement? |
35-38
usually they play for minor teams then. |
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| evil_bastard |
| 33 is young to retire, but I can see why he would want to retire while he's still a legend rather than gradually decline and lose his form. |
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| chris_norris |
| quote: | Originally posted by evil_bastard
33 is young to retire, but I can see why he would want to retire while he's still a legend rather than gradually decline and lose his form. |
Exactly. Sort of what like Cantona did. Although I do think a football players game is affected by age, at 33, Zidane would still be able to do a job for near enough any team. |
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| S_madis |
| He's done it all though, I think it would be fitting for him to retire young and enjoy the rest of his life ! |
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