Zidane to Leave Soccer After Germany World Cup

The training session at Real Madrid was like any other day with busloads of school kids staring in wonder and trying to get autographs from their "Galaticos" heroes.

The shrill shouts of "Beckham, Beckham" ring out until the once again long-haired Englishman turns his head to spit onto the field, earning him a round of boos from the giggling schoolgirls.

But it's not the England captain who commanded the most attention, but his French team mate. "Zizou, Zizou! Don't go!" one boy called out. One girl next to him also wants the midfield to stay in Madrid, even though he's not as good looking as David Beckham.

Despite the pleas from adolescent fans Zidane also left training early, knowing he would be spending extra-long at the post-practice press conference.

Three more games for Madrid. Ten more for France?

"Things come to an end -- that's life. The years go by and it gets harder and harder to play every three days," the father of four who will turn 34 in June reflected. "The past two years I haven't been on top form, and that's no good when you play at a club like Real."

Zidane, suspended for this week's match, is due to bow out with Real on May 14 at Sevilla.

"But let's hope I have another ten matches in me," he joked, alluding to a possible French march to another World Cup final.

In 2004 Zidane said he was quitting international football after Les Bleus slumped out to eventual winners Greece in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004. Last August he agreed to return with France having endured a tortuous World Cup qualifying campaign.

Realizing he'll be much harder to reach after his retirement, the press weren't willing to let him leave, demanding his opinion on everything -- especially the French journalists who swore vehemently at the announcement that the conference would be held in Zidane's elementary Spanish -- he is, after all, their superstar.

"It's every player's dream to win the World Cup"

The French legend, born in Marseille with a family of Algerian origin, gained soccer immortality almost overnight when his two headed goals in the 1998 final helped to humble Brazil and hand hosts France their first World Cup title.

Although France lacked a natural goal scorer in 1998, Zidane's double in the final masked that weakness, just as midfield great Michel Platini's eye for goal had led France to the 1984 European Championship.

"It's every player's dream to win the World Cup," he said. "When you realize you've won one, something so few players have done, then that goes down as my best achievement."

Plans to stay in with Madrid

Zidane added that he was working on a plan with Real Madrid that would see him remain at the club to coach children.

"I'd like to stay with Real Madrid - we have a project which would see me doing something related to (working with) the kids," he said, adding that leaving the field would not mean leaving the sport. "Soccer? It's everything for me."