Some rumor mongering before today’s final:
Zidane, France’s 34-year-old midfielder, has had a renaissance of sorts during the monthlong tournament in Germany. He had long said he would retire after the World Cup.
But there is a possibility he could soon join his compatriot Youri Djorkaeff in the midfield for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, according to several people involved in soccer in the New York area who were granted anonymity because of their unofficial relationship to the club.
Zidane’s contract with Real Madrid has expired, so he would not cost MLS a transfer fee. By contrast, Ronaldo, a Brazilian striker who was Zidane’s teammate in Spain, was reportedly offered a 10-year, $120 million deal by the Red Bulls and could command a transfer fee of more than $50 million.