English Premier League

Barthez pictured after his last-ever game
Fabien Barthez has announced his retirement from football.

The 35-year-old goalkeeper, who was a member of France's World Cup-winning team in 1998, made the announcement on French television channel TF1.

"I am quitting the French team, I am quitting club football," he said.

Barthez, whose last game was Les Bleus' World Cup final defeat to Italy this summer, has been without a club since he was released by Marseille at the end of last season.

The mercurial Barthez, who has also played for Toulouse, Monaco and Manchester United in an illustrious career, added: "I am going to continue enjoying myself without football."

Aside from the World Cup 1998 triumph, Barthez also won the European Championship with France in 2000, while he kept goal for Marseille when they lifted the European Cup in 1993.

That title has since been stripped from the Mediterranean giants after they were found guilty of match-fixing and bribery.

Barthez began his professional career in 1990 with Toulouse before moving to Marseille.

He joined Monaco in 1995 and completed a switch to United five years later. He then returned to Marseille near the end of the 2003/04 season.

Fabien Barthez factfile

1971: June 28 - born in Lavelanet.

1990: Signs professional contract at Toulouse.

1991: September 21 - Makes first-division debut for Toulouse in match against Nancy.

1992: Joins Marseille.

1993: Wins French title and Champions League. Club later stripped of league crown due to their involvement in match-fixing scandal.

1994: Stays with Marseille despite club's enforced relegation to second division because of financial irregularities. Makes France debut in a match against Australia in May.

1995: Joins Monaco.

1996: Handed four-month ban for use of recreational drugs.

1997: Wins Ligue 1 title.

1998: June/July - Concedes just two goals in seven games as France win World Cup on home soil. Wins Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

2000: Wins Ligue 1 title. Helps France win Euro 2000 before completing a £7.8million move to Manchester United.

2001: Wins Premiership title, United's third in a row.

2003: Wins Premiership title, but is dropped for final three league games of 2002/03 season after series of blunders. Wins Confederations Cup with France.

2004: January - Joins Marseille on loan after losing place to Tim Howard at United.

April - Agrees two-and-a-half-year deal at Marseille.

2005: February - Reported for spitting at referee in friendly between Marseille and Moroccan team Raja Casablanca.

April - Banned for six months because of spitting incident, with last three months being suspended. FFF appeal, arguing the punishment should be for a minimum of six full months. Suspension eventually extended to six full months.

2006: June - Starts World Cup in Germany as France's first-choice goalkeeper, despite there being pressure on coach Raymond Domenech to play Gregory Coupet.

July - Starts final against Italy, which France lose 5-3 on penalties after match finishes 1-1 after extra time.

October - Announces retirement.

Since the disappointment of losing the World Cup final in July, Barthez has been looking for a way back into club football with Toulouse, the club where he first made his name.

But that move did not materialise and it seems to have been the final straw for the custodian.

"The only club I wanted to go to was not so happy to have me," he continued on TF1. "It happens and you have to live with it.

"I needed an adventure and I have only done things that I want to."

The bald-headed Barthez, who was as renowned for his glaring errors as his magnificent reflexes and shot-stopping abilities, played 87 times for his country after making his debut against Australia in 1994.

His eccentricities have also come to shape his profile, with a four-month ban for the use of recreational drugs in 1996 followed by a six-month suspension for spitting at a referee last year.