French international football star Zinedine Zidane, a hero of France's 1998 World Cup campaign, has announced his retirement from international play.
Zidane said on his Internet site that he had thought about the decision for a long time, and that 'it is the end of a cycle.'
Zidane, who also starred for the Italian club Juventus and France's Bordeaux, helped lead France to the World Cup title in 1998 and the European championship two years later.
He played 93 times for France, scoring 26 goals and serving as team captain 11 times. Zidane lost only seven matches in his international career. He will continue to play for the Spain's Real Madrid until the end of his contract in 2007.
One of the best players ever... sorry france but you can stay at home in 2006
