SoccerNews.com

Three-time world footballer of the year Zinedine Zidane has pulled out of his trip to Australia, forcing the cancellation of Sunday's exhibition match here, organisers said Thursday.

Zidane was promoted to lead a team featuring his French 1998 World Cup-winning teammates, including Marcel Desailly and Robert Pires, against an Australian All-Stars team.

But the 35-year-old football star pulled out of his Australian visit on Thursday, citing personal reasons, a spokeswoman for the event said.

“It would be like going to see LA Galaxy without (David) Beckham,” she said, adding that she expected most people would seek a ticket refund if the French superstar was not involved.

Zidane arrived with other members of France's 1998 squad in the French territory of New Caledonia on Wednesday, where they were expected to play in an exhibition on Saturday.

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