Christian Karembeu, a World Cup and European Championship winner with France, has announced his retirement.
“I have no regrets,” said the 34-year-old midfielder, who has been without a club since Bastia were relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of last season.
“I want to take care of myself and my family,” Karembeu told French radio station RMC. “I’ve been playing football for 17 years. It’s time for a change”.
Karembeu won 53 caps for France, scoring one goal and was a member of the victorious 1998 World Cup team and the 2000 European champions.
His career began at Nantes, after which he moved to Sampdoria, Real Madrid (where he was a member of the Champions League-winning team in 1998), Middlesbrough, Olympiakos and Servette, before returning to France to play with Bastia.
