Mbappe slams French football president Le Graet for ‘disrespecting’ France Legends
France forward Kylian Mbappe has shown up to openly endorse Zinedine Zidane after the country’s football organization (FFF) president Noel Le Graet said he wouldn’t get the telephone if the former midfielder called him to examine coaching the public team.
The FFF had reported lead trainer Didier Deschamps’ agreement expansion on Saturday after he drove France to a second back to back World Cup last, where they lost to Argentina on penalties in Qatar last month. Zidane had recently been a #1 to succeed Deschamps.
When inquired as to whether Zidane, a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a public symbol, would now deal with the Brazilian public team all things considered, Le Graet told RMC: “I don’t care a whole lot, he can go any place he needs.
“I know very well that Zidane was always on the radar. He had a lot of supporters, some were waiting for Deschamps’s departure… But who can make serious reproaches to Deschamps? Nobody.
“He (Zidane) does what he wants, it’s none of my business. I’ve never met him, we’ve never considered parting with Didier. He can go where he wants, to a club… If Zidane tried to contact me? Certainly not, I wouldn’t even pick up the phone.”
Zidane was the first coach to win the Champions League three times in a row when he was in charge of Real Madrid.
The 50-year-old, who also won the 2000 European Championship with France in a glittering career, is currently without a job after he left his role with the Spanish club last year.
“Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that,” Mbappe said on Twitter after Le Graet’s interview was aired.
Le Graet’s dismissal of Zidane as a potential successor to Deschamps comes two years after he had backed the former midfielder to take up the reins if he was available.
France’s Priest for Sports Amelie Oudea-Castera was one of numerous lawmakers who responded to Le Graet’s remarks, saying the leader of the country’s “greatest donning organization” had crossed a line.
“However more withdrawn remarks and on top of that a dishonorable absence of regard, which harms all of us, towards a legend of football and game,” she composed on Twitter.
French lawmaker Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade likewise requested a conciliatory sentiment from Le Graet, saying on Twitter: “Zidane is a landmark of French football and game. A character cherished by every French individual… Our football merits better compared to that.”
Mbappe slams French football president Le Graet for ‘disrespecting’ France Legends
