MADRID (AFP) - World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane is almost certain to announce his retirement after the World Cup during a press conference on Wednesday, radio station Cadena Ser claimed on Friday. Zidane, who still has one year left on his contract at Real, has already announced his international retirement at the end of the finals in July, but he previously left a question mark over whether or not he would continue in club football for the last year of his current deal.

Now, according to Cadena, he has called a press conference to finally put an end to the uncertainty over his career.

"Real Madrid's French midfielder Zinedine Zidane has summoned the media to give a press conference next Wednesday during which he will almost certainly announce his retirement from the football world," reported Cadena.

"The Frenchman will hang up his boots and will pass on the last year of his contract," added the station which is renowned for its accurate reporting of transfer and contract speculation.

Real Madrid confirmed a press conference will take place at the club's training ground at 1100GMT on Wednesday.

Zidane, for so long the talisman of French football, will be 34 on June 23, during the World Cup finals, and has been contemplating his future for some time.

He has already retired from the France national team once before, after the 2004 European Championships, but returned to the fold last year to guide the 1998 champions to the World Cup finals.

Zidane joined Real in 2001 from Juventus for a world record 75.1 million euros (92.7 million dollars) having also played for Cannes and Bordeaux in France.

He recently confided in German sports magazine Kicker that the World Cup would be his last challenge at such a high level.

"I have one more year on my contract with Real Madrid until 2007. I will take a decision in peace and quite," he said.