Zidane to announce retirement?

[Kult ov Azazel]

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=381336&CPID=23&clid=368&lid=10&title=Zizou+'to+announce+retirement'

The French star is held by many to be the greatest player of his generation but has now reputedly called a press conference for Wednesday to reveal he will not fulfil the final year of his contract at Santiago Bernabeu.

After already backing away from the international scene after Euro 2004, Zidane returned for the World Cup finals and had already made clear he would be bidding adieu to Les Bleus for good after the completion of the Germany tournament.

However if claims from a Spanish radio station are correct then he is also ready to call time on his glorious club career.

With Los Merengues currently in a state of upheaval after the resignation of president Florentino Perez, who brought Zidane to the Bernabeu as the most expensive of the galacticos for a world record fee of £42 million, the 33-year-old is believed to be ready to hang up his boots.

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.



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! FUCKING NOOOOOOOOOOO! He has another year in him, I know it. this is terrible news man. this is just fucked up. He should finish his contract. this is just fucked. goddamn if I could fly to Madrid I would. I cannot believe I'm gonna die without seeing Zidane on the pitch at Bernabeu. this blows.

[ashmufc]

No!!!!! He has to play for Bolton first!

[Vip]

Zidane has indeed announce to the club that he is retiring after the WC. http://www.as.com/articulo/futbol/Zidane/anunciara/manana/retirada/dasftbA00/20060425dasdaiftb_26/Tes/

One of the most elegant players I ever watched ... Le bleu will be his last games.

Cheers for this fan-fokin-tastic player. His last game with RM at the Bernabeu will be against Villareal ... against Riquelme. A treat. :)


.

[perfectdark]

:( I already miss him. One of my favourite players ever. I wish him the best in the World Cup, along with Henry.

[Kult ov Azazel]

this is horrible. I cannot believe Zizou won't play ever again. I never really liked the French national team, but just because Zidane is retiring I wish they win WC this year.

[SilentToni]

This isn't really news but it is indeed very sad to see him go. Also one of my favorite players of all time.

And I'm French!

[realGaurab]

We will be missing a lot of his footballing skills now.

[Sean Jacobs]

I also read this..... Sad to see him go. It was either this season or next. I just wished he won something for Real Madrid so he could ride off into the sunset with a trophy. However, with the career he had, he is riding off into the sunset with one of better careers in the game. Wish him the best of luck. :)

[deviant]

well its official now, wow :( no Zidane in football is going to be very strange

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4942564.stm

Real Madrid's French international Zinedine Zidane is to retire after the World Cup finals in Germany.

"It's my decision and it's final," the France and Real Madrid playmaker told French television channel Canal+.

The 33-year-old Zidane has a year to run on his contract at Real but injuries have dogged him over the last couple of seasons.

Real signed him from Juventus for $66m (£37m) in 2001 - making him at that time the world's most expensive player.

The following season he scored the winning goal to earn the Bernabeu outfit their ninth European Cup triumph in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Zidane added: "I have to listen to my body and I cannot carry on for another year," said Zidane, who cited Real's poor results as one of the reasons for his decision.

"I think it is better to clarify the situation now."

[jpm085]

It is over, Great player that stops, He is just the best, Hope he is going to get a function in Real Madrid.


Grtzz,

[Kult ov Azazel]

I don't think I've ever been this upset for something that didn't involve someone dying. I'm just cold right now, man. I cannot possibly find words to describe how fucking low I am right now. I'd give anything to be at Bernabeu on May 7.

worst fucking day of my life.

[mosesmalone]

It's a shame to see Zidane go, but he's been such a joy to watch for many years. I'm sure he'll carry on with football in some capacity - how can someone of his stature not? Hopefully some of Madrid's youngsters like Jurado and Garcia have gained just a little wisdom from him.

[jr!]

What names are being considered for his replacement?

[deviant]

What names are being considered for his replacement?
well it was Ballack but it seems hes going to Chelsea I havent heard anything yet

[Alpha]

great player, I remember watching up in awe during his Juventus days, and when he owned England in Euro 2004, amazing player indeed. But I think its good that he is retiring right now, he just isnt the same.

[Yusuf]

I don't think I've ever been this upset for something that didn't involve someone dying. I'm just cold right now, man. I cannot possibly find words to describe how fucking low I am right now. I'd give anything to be at Bernabeu on May 7.

worst fucking day of my life.
Does that mean you have never been abandoned by a woman :p

[phenomenom]

i cant think of any player who's capable of being the next playmaker. i think the world cup will reveal who the person is going to be. so Real will wait until the tournament ends and get him. just my thought.

[Kult ov Azazel]

Does that mean you have never been abandoned by a woman :p


that hasn't happened to me. but I don't think that's a problem for me. I'm a mean motherfucker. ;)

[Yusuf]

that hasn't happened to me. but I don't think that's a problem for me. I'm a mean motherfucker. ;)
LOL :D

[kidujp]

Along with zizou...there goes Fernando martin. he resigns. Elections there at the end of the season.

It's on the madrid website.

Here's the link : http://www.realmadrid.com/articulo/rma30844.htm

[jr!]

I'm now thinking it will be Ballack & the whole Chelsea thing has been a smokescreen.
They don't need him, but Madrid does.... then again, what do I know?

[R9magia]

Zinedine Zidane will play his last game in the Santiago Bernabeu today.

It's hard to imagine I will ever see a similar player ever again. There have been better players of course, but the ball control and elegance is something I'm not sure I will ever see again.

The Bernabeu will be electric in this final goodbye to Zidane. Real will wear special jersey's for this one match. Under the Real Madrid emblem it will say Zidane 2001-2006 and there will also be a video tribute and other things.

http://www.marca.es/ficheros/marca/imagenes/camiseta_zidane_ES.jpg

Thank you for the memories Zizou...........

http://www.marca.com/primeras/06/05/g0507.jpg
Marca's cover reads : "The great one will go..The Bernabeu will pay homage to the 5th greatest player in history"

[jpm085]

Great tribiute to Zidane, He deserves that. Hope he can score.

Grtzz,

[R9magia]

Funny how things work out. Zidane is one of Riqulme's biggest idols and he will be in the stadium facing his old idol in his final Bernabeu goodbye.

[barcalove]

**off-topic**

hey r9... so there is a serious push in brasil and around the world for alex to be involved in the wc? i always wondered why he was content to stay in turkey.. no one except turkish players get recognition there (for national sides)... as long as he stays in istanbul he wont be playing for brasil. why didnt he attempt to move somewhere where he could be more in the spotlight for this pre-worldcup season? given the options that parreira already has in midfield, i seriously doubt he'd be able to play much anyway.. but theres no doubt hes a great player. too bad brasil has great players by the truck load. :confused:

[R9magia]

**off-topic**

hey r9... so there is a serious push in brasil and around the world for alex to be involved in the wc? i always wondered why he was content to stay in turkey.. no one except turkish players get recognition there (for national sides)... as long as he stays in istanbul he wont be playing for brasil. why didnt he attempt to move somewhere where he could be more in the spotlight for this pre-worldcup season? given the options that parreira already has in midfield, i seriously doubt he'd be able to play much anyway.. but theres no doubt hes a great player. too bad brasil has great players by the truck load. :confused:

Hey barcalove, I would only be guessing if I told you why he decided to go play in Turkey. I'm sure he has his reasons, but one thing people can't get over is precisely the fact that instead of moving to a team in La Liga or Serie A, he chose to go to the Turkish Superliga.

I can tell you that in 2003 he had one of the most dominant performances in the history of the Campeonato Brasileiro (no exaggeration).
After this performance for Cruzeiro (he was given the award for best player in the league and led Cruzeiro to all national titles: state, league and cup) it was made public that he recieved offers from teams all around Europe. This makes it even harder to understand why he chose Fenerbahce. However, one important factor in his decision was that he did, in fact, speak to Parreira and many others in the CBF about how a move to Turkey would effect his status on the seleção. He was told that he had a long history with the seleção and that as long as he performed on a high level, he would be selected.

So the question would then be, has he performed at a high level with Fener? What Alex has done with Fenerbahce is nothing short of remarkable. He is already a legend in Turkey and is considered the best player in the league by far. In his two seasons with Fener, Alex has played 94 games, scored 52 and given 56 assists...That is incredible in any league. Since 2002, in the 190 games for which I have a record, he has scored 106 goals, and made 98 assists. That amounts to an average of .558 goals per game, and .516 assists per game. What these numbers mean is that, on average, Alex will either score or assist a teammate in scoring at least once per game.

For his statistics with Fener, sure you could say "It's only Turkey" but when you look at his performances, the numbers he puts up and more importantly how he puts his numbers up, it's clear that he is a world class player. There is no justifiable reason for keeping him off the world cup squad and there is even less reason to keep him off because of Ricardinho (who is the player that will likely go in his place).

Barca, have you taken a look at the Alex video that is in my sig? Of course when you make a compilation of somebody, most players will look good, but the things he does in that video are incredible.

[fcb_sandy05]

great player Zidane.fantastic to watch even for real :eek: .

*off-topic*
Alex is quality. Haven't seen much of him playing in turkey (other than the above compilation and others from soccerpulse).But he's been impressive in the champions league.Very nice touch and good awareness. Fener is obviously built around him, so if he's going to move it's got to be to a team where he would be the main playmaker.
I heard Manure were looking for one of those. ;)

[Zico]

What a sad moment that was when he left the field.

I'm so glad that I got to see him this summer, I know it was a friendly but he did some spectacular moves that got the stadium roaring!!

Too bad only 8 players stayed on the field to salute him... the rest were already in the change room... just shows all the problems in Real Madrid, no player signing/sale or manager can fix it imo... we are doomed :mad:

[barcalove]

Hey barcalove, I would only be guessing if I told you why he decided to go play in Turkey. I'm sure he has his reasons, but one thing people can't get over is precisely the fact that instead of moving to a team in La Liga or Serie A, he chose to go to the Turkish Superliga.

I can tell you that in 2003 he had one of the most dominant performances in the history of the Campeonato Brasileiro (no exaggeration).
After this performance for Cruzeiro (he was given the award for best player in the league and led Cruzeiro to all national titles: state, league and cup) it was made public that he recieved offers from teams all around Europe. This makes it even harder to understand why he chose Fenerbahce. However, one important factor in his decision was that he did, in fact, speak to Parreira and many others in the CBF about how a move to Turkey would effect his status on the seleção. He was told that he had a long history with the seleção and that as long as he performed on a high level, he would be selected.

So the question would then be, has he performed at a high level with Fener? What Alex has done with Fenerbahce is nothing short of remarkable. He is already a legend in Turkey and is considered the best player in the league by far. In his two seasons with Fener, Alex has played 94 games, scored 52 and given 56 assists...That is incredible in any league. Since 2002, in the 190 games for which I have a record, he has scored 106 goals, and made 98 assists. That amounts to an average of .558 goals per game, and .516 assists per game. What these numbers mean is that, on average, Alex will either score or assist a teammate in scoring at least once per game.

For his statistics with Fener, sure you could say "It's only Turkey" but when you look at his performances, the numbers he puts up and more importantly how he puts his numbers up, it's clear that he is a world class player. There is no justifiable reason for keeping him off the world cup squad and there is even less reason to keep him off because of Ricardinho (who is the player that will likely go in his place).

Barca, have you taken a look at the Alex video that is in my sig? Of course when you make a compilation of somebody, most players will look good, but the things he does in that video are incredible.
wow... im a bit shocked at those stats... 52 goals?! 56 assists? in 2 seasons? and from the midfield too.. that is something else.

im also a bit shocked at his age! hes 29!?! i always thought he was a young up and comer... weird.

[Lonso]

@ R9magia

That is one awesome compilation. Some of the stuff in that clip is quite unbelievable :eek:

Hope to see him in the World Cup!

How's the campaign going so far though?

[jpm085]

I've seen the video, well it was impressive what he did there, He should go to the WC.

[huoltra]

What a great match yesterday.. Zidane made goal and sayd good bye for santiago bernabeu... One of the most greatest players in wolrd!! Gracias ZIDANE!!!