Former France [Images] midfielder Emmanuel Petit has announced his retirement from playing after failing to recover from knee surgery.

The 34-year-old, who scored in France's 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil [Images], told French sports daily L'Equipe on Friday that he had taken the decision to retire "shortly before Christmas" after realising he would never regain full fitness.

"I was spared by injuries for most of my career but unfortunately I have had to undergo three operations within a year," said the former Monaco, Arsenal [Images] and Barcelona midfielder, who was released by Chelsea at the end of last season.

"Twenty years of your life come to a stop. It's like a small death."

Petit earned his first France cap in August 1990 when he was 19 and made 63 international appearances.

He scored France's third goal in the 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final in Paris and helped his country to clinch the European championship title in 2000.

He decided to quit the international scene after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan [Images] when the then world champions were eliminated in the first round.

"The 1998 World Cup means something special to me," Petit said. "It's like a diamond I want to keep for myself."

FUTURE COACH?

Asked about his future, Petit said he had no firm plans yet but hoped he would be able to find a soccer-related job.

"I have had contact with French clubs like Olympique Lyon and Girondins Bordeaux but I didn't feel like going there. What I wanted to was to play again in the (English) Premier League which is the place I belonged to.

"Now I'm considering taking a break for a year or so to give me time to decide what I'm going to do next."

Petit said he had enjoyed working as a pundit for a French television pay-per-view channel during live broadcasts of English league matches.

He has also talked with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger about the possibility of starting a coaching career but said Wenger had suggested he bide his time.

"He (Wenger) believes it's too soon for me and I partly agree with him," Petit said. "But I realised that my feelings with the players were just great. I have a great potential and I have to use it."

Petit turned professional with Monaco in 1988 when he was only 18 and spent nine years with the principality team, winning the French Cup in 1991 and the French title in 1997.

He joined Arsenal the same year and had an excellent three-season spell with the Gunners, winning both the FA Cup and the Premier League title in 1998.

He then moved to Barcelona where he only stayed one season and returned to England [Images] to play for Chelsea from 2001 to 2004.

"Overall I'm very proud of my career," he said. "My only regret is having to end my career because of an injury, like (Dutch striker) Marco van Basten or (England midfielder) Glenn Hoddle."

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