Zidane admits taking creatine

France's international midfielder Zinedine Zidane says he took creatine when he was playing for Juventus but stopped using the performance-enhancing drug when he joined Real Madrid.

"I used to take creatine when I was playing for Juventus but it's not illegal," he told the daily Le Monde .

"In Madrid we don't use dietary supplements, just vitamins."

Creatine is not on the IOC's list of banned drugs but its sale is prohibited in France and its use is banned by several sports federation.

Tennis player Mary Pierce, winner of the 2000 French Open, is one of the few French sports stars who admitted using creatine.

But a former national rugby coach was quoted as saying creatine-taking was a "reality" of the French rugby championship.

"Players take drugs because they are required to be at peak fitness 12 monts out of 12", he told the weekly L'Equipe magazine a year ago.

Zidane told Le Monde he was not worried by the number of games he would have to play before the World Cup.

"I'm used to such a rhythm," he said. "Before the 1998 World Cup I only had a four-day rest, it was the same before the Euro 2000 and the results were rather good, weren't they?"

The World and European champions playmaker said his move to Real Madrid had given him a new lease of life.

"I enjoy total freedom on the pitch. In Spain we play an open game while we played a tight game in Italy. Soccer is more difficult to play in Italy but is more attractive in Spain," he said.