France playmaker Zinedine Zidane has hinted that he could retire after next year's World Cup in Germany.

The 33-year-old Real Madrid midfielder has previously said he would quit in 2007 when his current contract with the Primera Liga side concluded.

"It is not sure that I'm going to stay until 2007," Zidane was quoted as saying by the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche published on Saturday.

"There are still six months to go with Madrid and there will be the World Cup. Then, we will see."

Zidane shelved his international career for almost a year after Les Bleus suffered a shock elimination in the quarterfinals of the 2004 European championship.

He returned for France in August and, wearing the captain's armband, helped his country qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

"I came back to help France qualify. I'm certain that we have a team capable of achieving something great. Our players belong to the best European clubs," he said.

"We still miss a little something to do well. We will have to work to have it again. As for me and for players like me, the World Cup will be our last great event"

The newspaper also reported that Zidane has a fourth son, named Eliaz, who was born on Monday.