Agent says Zidane return claims an April’s Fool joke

FORMER France midfielder Zinedine Zidane will not come out of retirement to help the national side, his agent Alain Migliaccio insisted.

Migliaccio was speaking amid reports that the 32-year-old Real Madrid star was set to return to international duty to help France qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals.

“When he (Zidane) makes a decision he sticks to it,” Migliaccio said “For me it’s a great April’s Fool joke.”

Les Bleus, the 1998 World and Euro 2000 champions, are going through difficult times after drawing four of their opening six qualifiers, including a 1-1 draw against Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday and against Ireland last October in Paris.

Having won their other two games, France top the Group 4 rankings on equal points with Israel, but Switzerland and Ireland (who both have a game in hand) are in hot pursuit a point behind, with Cyprus and the Faroe Islands completing the group.

France coach Raymond Domenech fuelled speculation of an imminent return when he stated Friday that “the door was open” for Zidane.

“No team can overlook players of talent and everyone wants to have Zidane in his team,” said Domenech. “Zizou is still one of the top players in the world and if he said that he was ready to play again I’d welcome him and be delighted to call him into the team.”

Meanwhile France striker David Trezeguet has admitted he is to blame for the red card he received in the 1-1 draw against Israel in their 2006 World Cup qualifier in Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening.

The Juventus striker, who had scored the opening goal for Les Bleus in the 50th minute, received his marching orders five minutes later for head-butting defender Tal Ben Haim in retaliation to a tough challenge from the Israeli.

Trezeguet is now waiting for the FIFA disciplinary commission’s verdict which will sideline him for some crucial remaining qualifiers.

“I really got it wrong,” he told L’Equipe. “This is the first sending off of my career with the French national team. It’s not a habit for me. I am now waiting for the verdict of the disciplinary commission and I hope the judges will not forget that I reacted because of a tackle from behind whose author also deserved a red card.

“The defender clearly tried to break me,” he claimed.

The Frenchman is aware his indiscretion put his team’s advantage under threat, and they ultimately succumbed to allow Israel a point.

“The conclusion of all that is that I penalised the team when the match was won,” he added.

“I am sincerely sorry for my team-mates, who gave everything.”

By scoring his 31st goal for France, Trezeguet became Les Bleus’ second highest scorer behind Michel Platini (41), but the celebration was tempered somewhat by the red card.

“On one side I am proud to be the second best scorer, but on the other side I am sad, not for me, but for my team-mates,” said Trezeguet.

“I should be used to those sort of provocations but I didn’t think.”