France Football Federation: Mbappe defends Zidane after Le Graet’s statement
Paris. Kylian Mbappe has defended the country’s great football player Zinedine Zidane after the derogatory statement of Noel Le Graet, the president of the French Football Federation. France’s World Cup star Mbappe tweeted on Sunday, “Zidane is France. Legends are not insulted like this. Zidane, who won France the first World Cup in 1998 and the 2000 Euro Championship, is counted among the greatest players. He scored in two World Cup finals and lost once, just like Mbappe. Le Graet, who recently extended the contract of France coach Didier Deschamps until July 2026, was asked on RMC’s radio talk show about speculation whether Zidane could take over as Tite’s coach following his departure from Brazil.
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To this he had said, “I would be surprised if this happens. If he wants he can go, I have nothing to do with it. I have never met Zidane and the French Football Federation has never thought of parting ways with Didier. Did he try to contact me, no. I don’t even pick up the phone.” France’s Sports Minister Amelia Odia-Casteira asked Le Grait to apologize to Zidane without naming him. He said, “We are all hurt by such derogatory talk about one of our great players. The president of a top sports federation of France should not have said that. Apologize to Zidane.
