The president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graet, he should have come out this Monday to apologise Zinedine Zidane for their “unfortunate words” launched against the French legend on Sunday.
“I want to apologize for these words which do not at all reflect my way of thinking or my consideration for the player he was and the manager he has become”assured Le Graët in the aftermath of the controversial statements referring to the former Inter coach real Madrid and which earned him a firestorm of criticism, both from the world of football and the political class.
Le Graët had said in statements on RMC radio on Sunday that Zidane “I wouldn’t answer the phone”a day after re-appointing Didier Deschamps until 2026 as France coach.
Asked if Zidane, who looked like the number 1 option to replace Deschamps, had called him in recent days, Le Graët was blunt: “I wasn’t going to answer the phone. To tell him what, ‘Hi ladies, don’t worry, look for another club, I just reached an agreement with Didier’?
Le Graet added it “Zidane can do whatever he wants, it doesn’t concern me. We haven’t met and we never thought of parting ways with Didier Deschamps”.
These words have been regarded by most as a “disrespect” against Zidane and forced the 81-year-old leader to come out and offer a public apology
The star of blue, kylian mbappe, he reacted the same Saturday. “Zidane is France, you can’t disrespect the legend like that.”wrote the PSG player on Twitter.
Even the French sports minister reacted, Amélie Oudéa-Casterawho asked Le Graet to apologise.
“It is a shameful lack of respect, which offends all of us, towards a legend of football and sport. A president of the first French sports federation should not say that. I apologize for these excessive words about Zidane”.wrote the minister on Twitter.
This Monday, real Madrid lament “The Unfortunate Statements” by Le Graët through a statement: “These words imply a lack of respect for one of the most admired figures by football fans around the world and our club expects an immediate rectification.”asked the white entity.
Source: AFP
Source: Clarin
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