Funny atmosphere at the French Football Federation. Asked whether Zinédine Zidane, who acted as the number one option at the head of the Blues in the event of non-renewal of Deschamps’ contract, had called him in recent days, Noël Le Graët was very brittle towards the former world champion in 1998 in the tricolor jersey.
“I wouldn’t even have taken him on the phone, released Sunday at the microphone of RMC the president of the FFF, the day after the extension of the contract of Didier Deschamps at the head of the team of France until 2026. To tell him what? “Hello sir, don’t worry, look for another club, I just agreed with Didier”? ».
Noël Le Graët, 81, also responded curtly to rumors of Zidane’s interest in Brazil. “I would be surprised if he went there, he claimed. He does what he wants, that’s none of my business. I never met him and we never considered parting with Didier Deschamps. I don’t care, he can go where he wants, in a club, he would have as many as he wants in Europe, a big club. A selection, I hardly believe it as far as I’m concerned. »
???? Noël Le Graët lets loose on Zidane in Bartoli Time on RMC: “Zidane in Brazil? I don’t care. He’s been… https://t.co/9r4Af1dtKU
On Saturday, Didier Deschamps’ contract as coach of the France team had been extended until 2026 and the World Cup organized in the United States, Canada and Mexico, blocking Zidane’s immediate horizon in blue.
Sports minister calls for an apology
The undiplomatic tone adopted by the president of the FFF with regard to Zinédine Zidane surprised the world of football. Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra called for “apologies for this word too much”criticizing on Twitter statements “again off the ground with the added bonus this time of a shameful lack of respect, which hurts us all, to a legend of football and sport”.
Still on Twitteranother former world champion, Kylian Mbappé, gave an unequivocal reaction: “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that…”