Clairefontaine: France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has announced that he will retire next year.

?I am 33 years old. There are not many seasons left for me,? Barthez said on Thursday as France prepared for their World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Israel. ?I?ll call a halt in 2006. From all football.?

Barthez has won 73 caps since his debut against Australia in May 1994.

He became first choice for the 1998 World Cup, which France won by beating Brazil 3-0 in the final, and was also a member of the side that won Euro 2000.