A dignified exit

Zidane has been giving his reasons for retiring one year early from his Real Madrid contract, here are some of his quotes:

‘I don’t want to start a year knowing that I won’t be able to do better than I’ve done in the past, I’m getting to an age where it is getting harder and harder.’

‘I am stopping for good and I am stopping everything, most of all, I think its my body. I told myself I can’t do another year.’

Nice to hear a player being honest with himself and his club, Zidane could have probably carried on for a couple of years, picking up a big salary for doing less and less.

He’s also realistic about the shape Real are in saying, ‘by announcing my retirement now it gives them the chance to go and look for new players before the World Cup, if that is what they want to do.’

One thing I read that might impact France is if as they get further into the tournament and every game becomes ‘Zidane’s Last Game’, and whether that’s going to distract the team at all.