Real Madrid wade into Zinedine Zidane ‘call’ row engulfing French football

Real Madrid have issued a statement in defense of Zinedine Zidane after the president of the French Football Federation said he would have refused the 50-year-old’s phone call if he had called to inquire about the national team position.

The former Real Madrid manager had been linked with the France job after Les Bleus lost to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final. However, the FFF recently announced that Didier Deschamps had signed a contract extension until 2026. .

Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation, added salt to the wounds by saying that Zidane was never in the running to take over at Les Bleus and would not have even responded to his call.

Real Madrid has defended Zinedine Zidane in an official statement on its website

The Spanish giants issued a statement in support of Zidane. The club referred to him as “one of the greatest legends in world sport” and said Graet’s comments were disrespectful.

The club’s statement read: “Real Madrid CF regrets the unfortunate statements by the president of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet, about Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest legends of world sport.

These words imply a lack of respect towards one of the figures most admired by football fans around the world and our club expects an immediate rectification.

Noel Le Graet (L) stated that he would not have answered a phone call from Zidane

‘Zinedine Zidane, world champion and European champion defending his country’s jersey, among many other titles, represents the values ​​of sport and has shown it throughout his professional career as a player and as a coach.

The statements by the president of the French Football Federation are inappropriate for someone who holds that representation and disqualifies himself, like the ones he also makes about our captain Karim Benzema, current Ballon d’Or, champion of the League of Nations with France in 2021 and winner of 5 Champions League, among many other titles.’

Real Madrid was not the only one to take offense at Graet’s comments. French star Kylian Mbappe was quick to defend Zidane on social media. He wrote: “Zidane is France, so we don’t disrespect the legend.”

Kylian Mbappe disagreed with the FFF president’s comments and stated that ‘Zidane is France’

Graet has since apologized for his comments. He told L’Equipe: ‘These awkward comments created a misunderstanding. I would like to present my personal apologies for these comments that do not reflect my thoughts at all, nor my consideration for the player that he was and the coach that he has become.

Graet’s apology came after his initial comments. Speaking about Zidane and the coaching role, Graet said: ‘Did Zidane try to contact me? Of course not, he wouldn’t even have picked up the phone. To tell him to find another club? Make a special program so that you can find a club or a selection.

The president added: ‘I don’t care, he can go wherever he wants. He can go wherever he wants, in a club or in a national team, I find it hard to believe when it comes to him.

‘Zidane was always under the radar. He had many followers; some expected Deschamps to leave. But who can seriously criticize Deschamps? Nobody can. I have never seen Zidane, we have never thought about parting ways with Didier Deschamps.

Zidane won three consecutive Champions League in his first spell at Real Madrid

Since he hung up his boots, the former Juventus and Real Madrid player became manager and took charge of the white team in not one, but two successful spells.

In his first 149-game spell with the Spanish titans, Zidane led them to three consecutive Champions League titles, as well as a LaLiga crown and Club World Cup success, before leaving in the summer of 2018. .

He then returned in 2019 for another 119 games that gave Real Madrid another LaLiga title before his June 2021 departure.

More to follow…