"I am stopping for good and I am stopping everything," Zidane told Canal Plus television Tuesday. "Most of all, I think it's my body. I told myself that I can't do another year."
Zidane, who had another year on his contract with Spanish club Real Madrid, will play for the French national team at this year's World Cup from June 9 to July 9 and then call it quits.
"I have to listen to my body and I cannot carry on for another year," said Zidane, who has been dogged by injuries and inconsistency the last two seasons in the Spanish league.
France's Zinedine Zidane will retire from soccer after this summer's World Cup in Germany. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
"I think it is better to clarify the situation now," he added.
Zidane, set to turn 34 on June 23, is a three-time world player of the year and won the World Cup with France in 1998. He has scored 28 goals in 99 games for France during his illustrious career.
Affectionately known as 'Zizou,' Zidane quit the French national team after Les Bleus were knocked out of Euro 2004 by Greece in the quarter-finals, but was lured out of retirement last year as France was struggling to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
France eventually qualified for the competition and will play against Switzerland, South Korea and Togo in the first-group stage of the tournament in Germany.
Considered by many as the greatest French player in history, Zidane led his country to victory in the 1998 World Cup on home soil and the 2000 European Championship.
Since making his professional debut with French side Cannes, Zidane has used his vast palette of soccer skills and his personal canvas – the field – to create breathtaking frescoes the likes of which fans have never seen.
A pirouette with the ball glued to his foot, a smashing volley thundered into the roof of the net, a gazelle-like run through the midfield leaving a trail of defenders in his wake – these are the trademarks of a player considered by many pundits as the best in the world of his era.
Zidane signed with Italian club Juventus in 1996 and helped lead them to the UEFA Champions League Finals in 1997 and 1998.
However, it was at the World Cup in France in 1998 that Zidane cemented his legend, leading the home side to soccer's biggest crown.
Up until then, the midfielder was best known as a playmaker and there had been some question concerning his ability to come through when everything was on the line, but in 1998, he saved his best performance as a clutch goal-scorer for the biggest game. He scored two goals against Brazil in the World Cup final.
The son of Algerian immigrants from the rough and tumble streets of Marseilles was celebrated as a national hero and suddenly became France's favourite son. He followed that up by winning the player of the tournament award at Euro 2000 as France was crowned champions of Europe for the second time.
For his outstanding play, he earned the prestigious FIFA Player of the Year award for 1998 and 2000. A third award followed in 2003, and he won the Balon D'Or – the Golden Ball award – in 1998 as the European Player of the Year.
Just in case anyone doubted his skills, a $66-million US price tag – the record transfer fee Spanish club Real Madrid shelled out to Juventus in 2001 for the Frenchman – underscored the exact value of his immense talent.
His first season in Spain was marked by success, scoring one of the most brilliant goals in living memory to help Real Madrid win the Champions League final in May 2002
