Comments about Zidane: "I apologise for these clumsy remarks" (Noël Le Graët, FFF)

"These clumsy remarks (towards Zinedine Zidane) have created a misunderstanding. I would like to present my personal apologies for these remarks which absolutely do not reflect my thoughts, nor my consideration for the player he was nor the coach he has become," declared Noël Le Graët (81 years old) president of the Fédération Française de Football, to AFP on 09/01/2023.

The apology comes two days after the FFF's general assembly (held on Saturday 07/01/2023) during which the extension of Didier Deschamps as coach of the French men's national team until 2026 was announced. They follow an audio interview granted by the president of the FFF to RMC Sport on 08/01/2023, which notably contained a passage regarding the former Real Madrid CF (LaLiga Santander) coach: "I would be surprised if he goes there (to Brazil as national team coach). But he does what he wants, it's none of my business. Me, I don't care, he can go where he wants! A big club, a national team, but I hardly believe it when it comes to him. If Zidane tried to reach me? Certainly not, and I wouldn't even picked up the…