Zidane at a press conference in Madrid on Wednesday. (AFP)

Madrid: Real Madrid’s France midfielder Zinedine Zidane says he announced his retirement on Tuesday to give the club time to prepare for next season. “The club needs to build a team so that they can win again,” Zidane told Real Madrid television on Wednesday.

“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. They have always been good to me so it is the least I could do for them.”

The 33-year-old said on Tuesday he would retire after leading France at the World Cup in Germany, despite having a year left on his contract with Real.

Zidane also highlighted the Madrid club’s recent lack of success, their worst run in 52 years, as a key factor in his decision. “We haven’t won anything for three years and I haven’t been playing the way I would like for two,” Zidane added. “I always play to win and when you can’t you have to be realistic.”

Looking ahead to the future Zidane said he would like to continue being linked to Real. “I want to stay close to this club because they have given me so much,” he said. “It won’t be in the front line but in some kind of project, something to do with the children. This idea still needs to be developed.”

In a packed news conference at Real’s training ground later on Wednesday, Zidane said there was no chance of him changing his mind after the recent disappointments and an increasing number of niggling injuries.

“When I changed my mind about going back to play with the French national team I was still playing football with Real. This is different,” Zidane said. “I can’t continue playing, and I want to end my career here.”

He said that now his decision was out in the open he could focus on the rest of the season with extra motivation.

Finding a replacement for Zidane is no easy task. The only player who might reach that status one day is Olympique Marseille midfielder Franck Ribery, both a fighter and an artist and arguably the finest player in Ligue 1.

France coach Raymond Domenech has so far ignored the energetic 23-year-old him but might still include him in his squad for the finals to pave the way for the future.

Zidane, however, is still around for a few weeks with one final challenge awaiting him.

“I’m a bit sad but we were all prepared for this,” said French Football Federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes. “We knew he would probably leave after the World Cup. Now we hope he can have a great one and retire on a high note.”

Domenech, meanwhile, believes Zidane’s finest moment may still come with the classy playmaker inspiring his country to another World Cup triumph.

“I know he’s eager to have a great World Cup in Germany and I’m convinced he can still write the finest page of his sporting history by winning another World Cup with Les Bleus,” Domenech said.

“Like all those who love football, I’m a little bit sad when I think that after the World Cup, we will no longer see Zidane on a football pitch, at the highest level anyway,” Domenech said in a statement.

“He’s a monument and he’s my friend,” Barthez a TV channel. “For me he’s the player of the century.”

Aime Jacquet, who was France coach when they won the Cup, said: “A great champion is about to leave us. What I'm feeling is a lot of emotions and a bit of sadness.

“I think he’s being very honest and perceptive by making that decision at the right moment. I think it’s right for him to leave after playing one last World Cup with France. What a challenge that is for him.”

“He’s a gentleman of football,” Arsenal and France forward Thierry Henry said. “We will miss him. Now we must do all we can so he can leave on a high note.”