Zinedine Zidane has denied he is considering a return to international soccer to help France qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
"I said I was stopping playing for France. You know very well that when I have made a decision, the decision has been made. I'll stick to my decision," the Real Madrid playmaker told sports daily L'Equipe on Saturday.
Zidane, who won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European championship with France ended his international career after they were knocked out of Euro 2004 with a 1-0 quarter-final defeat against eventual champions Greece.
On Friday, L'Equipe reported that Zidane might be considering a comeback to rescue the former world champions whose qualifying campaign for the 2006 finals in Germany has not gone smoothly.
On Saturday, however, L'Equipe published a new telephone interview.
"I heard on television that it was possible I would come back. It's not right, I think it's a pity because it calls everything into question and contradicts what I said," Zidane is quoted as saying.
"I can assure you that France will qualify. I don't want to think I'm the saviour of the team and I don't want people to think I'm the saviour of the team. Such behaviour would be pure conceit and I never behave like that."
After drawing four of their first six games, France top European qualifying zone Group Four with 10 points. They are level with Israel while the Ireland and Switzerland are only one point behind with a game in hand.
Brian Kerr's Ireland team face the French for the second time in the campaign on September 7 at Lansdowne Road.
