Wolves defender Ronald Zubar has admitted he almost quit football after losing of his best friend to cancer two years ago.

The 24-year-old father-of-one, who is a slight doubt for tomorrow’s clash at Chelsea with a sore thigh, was overcome by grief at the loss of Nicolas Rabot to the disease, which claimed his lifelong mate on 25 November 2007.

Zubar said: “I started making mistakes on the pitch, my head was all over the place. I wanted to stop playing football, I found everything difficult. He wasn’t just a friend to me, he was like a brother – everything.

“I’m OK now, but even last season, it seemed like any mistake I made led to a goal. But I decided to play on because my friend wanted that. He told me I could play for the national team and I want to prove him right.”

The death of his friend eventually prompted him into a fresh start, ultimately paving the way for his £2.5million move to Molineux.

But Zubar revealed he snubbed French giants Bordeaux to join Wolves.

He said: “I spoke with Eric Gerets, my coach at Marseille, and said I needed a change of scenery because I wasn’t feeling right mentally.

“But Gerets wanted me to stay there, because he wanted me in the team. When he left at the end of the season, I spoke with the president Pape Diouf and he said he’d had a good offer.

“I spoke with the gaffer Mick McCarthy and my first thought was to come to Wolves. Bordeaux wanted me as well and their gaffer, Laurent Blanc, also called me.

“But I decided to stick with my first thought because I wanted to play in the Premier League, as it’s a better league.

“I’m happy I’ve made the right decision, because I feel I’m playing well and playing with good players every game.”

The former France under-21 international also believes his country should be made to replay their World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland, after his friend William Gallas’s controversial winner.

Zubar said: “I think they should have a replay, because the handball was not good for the spirit of the game or for football. It was hard on Ireland but it was difficult for the referee, because of Henry’s position when he got the ball.”