Paris Saint-Germain forward, Kylian Mbappe, has hit out at French Football Federation (FFF) president, Noel Le Graet, over comments he made about Real Madrid former manager, Zinedine Zidane.
In an interview with French radio station RMC, Le Graet dismissed Zidane’s coaching abilities and suggested that he was only successful at Real Madrid due to the quality of the players at his disposal.
Mbappe took to social media to defend Zidane, saying: “Don’t disrespect the legend like that.”
Zidane is one of the greatest players in history and has proven himself as a top coach too.
The former French international player also have numerous accomplishments as a coach, including three Champions League titles and a La Liga title in just four seasons in charge at Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidan
Zinedine Zidane, the former manager of Real Madrid, may enter the managerial field once more in 2023, but he will not be taking the France position.
It was rumored that Zidane would take over for Didier Deschamps as the French national team manager at the beginning of 2023, following France’s defeat in the 2022 World Cup final.
Argentina, led by the brilliant Lionel Messi, secured their first world title since 1986, as well as Messi’s first triumph with the national team, by defeating France in the final of the tournament in Qatar. The French team, managed by Deschamps, were unable to add to their trophy cabinet despite their strong showing throughout the competition.
Despite rumors of their intent to replace Didier Deschamps, the French Football Federation (FFF) has announced that they will extend his contract until 2026.
Reports linking Zidane with the managerial role at Juventus have put an end to speculation that he would be named manager of the French national team, Les Bleus, for the Euro 2024 tournament. This move will now see Max Allegri potentially replacing him as manager.
However, the ongoing controversy over the situation has escalated further after FFF president Noel Le Graet dismissed the speculation that Zidane would replace Deschamps in a controversial interview.
When asked about the possibility of Zidane going to Brazil, Le Graet stated: “I don’t care. He can do as he pleases. It’s not my concern. I’ve never even met him and we never considered letting go of Didier,” according to RMC Sport.
FFF president La Graet’s comments about Zidane have been met with criticism from French football fans, with Mbappe speaking out in defense of the Real Madrid manager. Mbappe, who is considered a key player for the French national team, expressed support for Zidane after La Graet’s interview was released.
According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Zidane has rejected offers to coach the national teams of the United States, Portugal, and Brazil. The report suggests that Zidane declined the opportunity to replace Gregg Berhalter as coach of the US national team.
Despite his current managerial commitments, Zidane has not ruled out the possibility of managing the French national team in the future. However, it is possible that this opportunity may not arise for another three years.
Football fans worldwide are praising Kylian Mbappe for defending Zinedine Zidane in response to the comments made by French Football Federation (FFF) president, Noel Le Graet.
Mbappe’s comments were met with support from many in the football community, with many agreeing that Le Graet’s comments were unfair and showed a lack of respect for one of the game’s all-time greats.
