In 2006 , Zidane announced that he would retire after the World Cup . Before the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final in Berlin , Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the competition . Having already announced he was to retire after the expiration of his Real Madrid contract at the end of the 2005 â `` 06 season , the world of football already knew Zidane 's second World Cup final was to be the last match of his career .