Portuguese World Cup star Luis Figo, who has been plagued by a recent ankle injury, said that he was considering quitting football shortly.
"I don't dread retirement and I am ready to become more available to my family and friends, the people I care about," the Real Madrid midfielder on Thursday told the sports daily Record in Lisbon.
"I will go further: I will leave football earlier than people think," said the 29-year-old Figo.
The Fifa World Player of the Year has suffered from a recurring ankle injury for the past three months which he blamed on having to play so many matches every season.
But Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira has insisted that Figo, a vital cog in the Portuguese machinery, will be 100 per cent fit when his team launch their World Cup campaign on June 5 against the United States.
Figo pleased fans and played for 15 minutes in his team's 2-0 win over China on Saturday, providing a major boost to Portugal's World Cup hopes.
Bureau Report