On Saturday, the French Football Association extended the contract of national coach Didier Deschamps up to and including the 2026 World Cup. Rest in the tent, you would think. But a day later it was, and still is today, very turbulent once more within the French camp. The reason is an interview by Noël Le Graët, the 81-year-old president of the French football association, on Sunday to ‘RMC Sport’. He was asked questions regarding Zinedine Zidane, the French legend who has been without a club for a while and was regarded as a possible successor to Deschamps.
???? Noël Le Graët lets loose on Zidane in Bartoli Time on RMC: “Zidane in Brazil? I don’t care. He does what he wants, it’s none of my business. I’ve never met him. We never considered separating from Didier.” pic.twitter.com/odyOBSQpHF
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) January 8, 2023
“What if Zidane had called? I wouldn’t even have answered my phone,” said Le Graët. “What should I have told him? ‘Hello sir, don’t be under any illusions. Just look out for another team, because I just extended Didier’s contract’?”
He is also cold that Zidane is mentioned as national coach of Brazil. “He does what he wants. I’d be surprised if he draws there, but I don’t really care. I do not believe in it. I never met him and we never considered parting ways with Deschamps. After which Le Graët suggested to the journalists to set up a TV program to help Zidane get a club.
‘Unacceptable!’
Contempt that Kylian Mbappé might not laugh at in the least. On Twitter, he expressed his support for Zidane, who has been out of work for a year and a half following leaving Real Madrid for a second time. He became Spanish champion twice and won the Champions League three times. “Zidane is France. That’s not how we treat legends like him,” Mbappé told his own chairman. The facepalm emoji on top.
Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that… ????????♂️
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) January 8, 2023
Mbappé’s words were widely applauded, including actor Omar Sy and former defender Medhi Benatia. “You are our real president” and “A real star, on and off the field.”
Franck Ribéry and Djibril Cisse, among others, sent tweets into the world themselves. And the political world is also changing. Amélie Oudéa-Castera, Minister of Sports, demands an apology from Le Graët. “This is a shameful disrespect. Something that hurts us all once morest a legend of our sport and French football. A president of the most important sports federation should not say such a thing. For this I demand an apology.”
The cover of ‘L’Équipe’ is also clear: ‘Unacceptable!’, can be read in large.
It is not the first time that Mbappé calls his federation chairman to order. Le Graët said without hesitation last summer that the PSG star was considering stopping at ‘Les Bleus’ following his missed penalty at the World Cup. Mbappé also responded on Twitter at the time. “However, I clearly explained to him that it was not because of that penalty kick, but because of racism. But he was of the opinion that no racism ever took place…”
You delight me????????????♂️. On the other hand, it will be necessary to think of consulting quickly. ????
Zizou????????????— Franck Ribery (@FranckRibery) January 8, 2023
Bad come, badly placed, we are talking regarding a world champion, we are talking regarding the World Champion.
– Youri Djorkaeff (@youridjorkaeff) January 9, 2023
