The day after his virulent remarks against Zinedine Zidane on RMC, Noël Le Graët presented his “apologies” and recognizes “clumsy remarks” in a press release on Monday.
Noël Le Graët asks for forgiveness. This Sunday, Noel Le Graet, the boss of the French Football Federation (FFF) asserted with authority on RMC his choice to extend Didier Deschamps. At the same time, the 81-year-old swept aside the hypothesis that led to Zinedine Zidane, causing a real outcry with his statements.
Asked about the rumors linking Zidane to the post of Brazil coach, Noël Le Graët said he had “nothing to shake”. “I wouldn’t even have taken him on the phone”, he also said of potential negotiations with “ZZ” after the World Cup after the final lost by the Blues: “I never met him and we never considered parting with Didier Deschamps”.
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“Clumsy words”
The day after this sensational exit, the president of the FFF recognizes “clumsy remarks” concerning Zidane and presents his “apologies” to him, in a press release sent to AFP. “I would like to apologize for these remarks which do not reflect absolutely not my thought, nor my consideration for the player he was and the coach he has become, affirms the boss of French football, the day after controversial statements relating to the former N.10 of the Blues and ex- Real Madrid coach. I gave an interview to RMC that I should not have given because he was looking for controversy by opposing Didier to Zinédine Zidane, two monuments of French football. I admit that I made some awkward remarks which created a misunderstanding. Zinédine Zidane knows the immense esteem I have for him, like all French people.”
The statements of “NLG” shook the whole of France. If Kylian Mbappé recalled that Zinédine Zidane “is France” and that we should not “disrespect him”, the French and international press did not fail to make headlines with the statements of Le Graët and the Parisian striker.
Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra did not fail to also criticize Noël Le Graët: “Statements again above ground with the added bonus this time of a shameful lack of respect, which hurts us all, to a legend of football and sport : a ‘president’ of the first sports federation of France should not say that, estimated the member of the government. Apologies for this word too much on Zinedine Zidane please.”
Le Graët auditioned on Tuesday
Under the spotlight for 24 hours, the president of the FFF will be even more so this Tuesday since he will be interviewed by the investigators responsible for investigating the functioning of the body.
Le Graët has already been heard once as part of this audit commissioned by the Ministry of Sports after numerous testimonies from employees or former employees denouncing the deleterious climate within the body, some even accusing Le Graët of sexual harassment. . What the president of the FFF has always defended. This calendar was specified on December 23 by Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports.