Munich, Jul 04: Two soccer legends lead their teams onto the pitch tomorrow looking for a last shot at glory.

France's Zinedine Zidane and Portugal's Luis Figo are retiring from international soccer after the tournament, and they want their teams to set them up for a big career finish by winning their semifinal encounter in Munich.

For Zidane, the tournament marks an end to his soccer career altogether.

It's a crunch game for the two former world players of the year, who were once teammates at Real Madrid.

The winner goes to Berlin for Sunday's final.

The loser goes to Stuttgart to play for third place.

Both veterans go into the semifinal on top form despite their age.

Zidane is 34, Figo 33.Some star playersBrazil's Ronaldinho, Argentina's Lionel Messi, and England's Wayne Rooney, to name a few have already gone home, but the pair who came out of retirement for the World Cup are leading their countries' charge toward the trophy.

Portuguese defender Miguel, who is 26, said he has been taken aback by the way Zidane and Figo have been playing.

Zidane "is still one of the best in the world.

His ball skills are unequaled," Miguel said.

"When he came into form, France started winning.

I just hope he has a quiet game against us." Miguel said Figo has been the revelation of the tournament.

"It's marvelous that at the age of 33 he can still run around that much and play so well.

He's astounded me," he said.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter also joined in the chorus of approval, praising the veterans like Zidane who helped France win its first title in 1998."I don't talk about veterans but about players that still improve like a good French wine," Blatter said.

"France has left such an impression, that its opponents should really worry." The two midfielders lead teams that have proved the doubters wrong as the World Cup approaches its peak.

Zidane marked his 100th cap just over a month ago with one of his worst games in a blue shirt.

He repeatedly surrendered possession and looked weary.

In Germany, he and his team started slowly but has suddenly come good.

In France's quarterfinal win over Brazil he probably played better than in the 1998 final.

Add to that Thierry Henry's craftiness that got him the winning goal, and William Gallas' deepening bond with Lilian Thuram in central defense plus Patrick Vieira's new-found vigor, and Zidane's French team is a strong contender for its second title.

"We can't just focus our attention on Zidane.

We have to look at how we can stand up to France as a whole," Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo said.

Figo, who will be making his 126th appearance, has produced steady, workmanlike performances.

He no longer bursts past defenders with a quick shift of gear, but he can still dribble and has excellent vision.

Figo hasn't scored but has had a hand in four of Portugal's six goals.

His influence goes beyond his play.

The other players look to him for their cue and he has given them confidence when the chips are down.

Apart from skilled players such as Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal also has one of the world's best coaches in Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The Brazilian has recorded a 12-game unbeaten run in the World Cup stretching from the last tournament where he took his own country to the title.

Portugal, which is on a 19-game unbeaten run, hasn't lost in Germany.

"Portugal is defensively better organised than Brazil was and up front you have Deco, Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo," said French winger Franck Ribery.

"It will be tough.

Tougher than against Brazil," Thuram said.

Portuguese striker Helder Postiga said he expects a close contest.

The two countries have never met at a World Cup, but the French twice edged the Portuguese in the semifinals of the European championship, in 1986 and 2000. "There's huge rivalry between France and Portugal," Postiga said.

"That 2000 game stuck in our throats.

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