Soccer: Zidane to retire in 2005

France midfielder Zinedine Zidane will retire when his Real Madrid contract expires in 2005.

Zidane, who will be 33 in a couple of years, said in Beijing yesterday: "I'm under contract with Real Madrid for two more years and, until then, I will play as well as possible, in any competition.

"After those two years, I will quietly retire."

Zidane, who joined Madrid from Juventus for a world-record fee of US$64.4 million in 2001, is on a three-week tour of China with the Real squad preparing for next season.

The playmaker, who was world player of the year in 1998 and 2000, has 82 caps for France.