The head of France’s Football Federation’s comments come after Coach Didier Deschamps contract extension 

Kylian Mbappe has come to the defence of Zinedine Zidane on social media after the President of the French Football Federation (FFF) vented tactless comments about the footballer.

“Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that,” Mbappe wrote on his Twitter account after FFF’s President Noel Le Graet stated he wouldn’t consider the Real Madrid coach.

“I don’t give a damn, he can go wherever he wants,” Le Graet told RMC Sport about Zidane.

“I know very well that Zidane was always on the radar. He had a lot of supporters, some were waiting for Deschamps’s departure… But who can make serious reproaches to Deschamps? Nobody,” the French president added.

“He (Zidane) does what he wants, it’s none of my business. I’ve never met him, we’ve never considered parting with Didier. He can go where he wants, to a club… If Zidane tried to contact me? Certainly not, I wouldn’t even pick up the phone.”

The interview with RMC Sport comes after the FFF announced head coach Didier Deschamps’s contract extension on Saturday after leading the country to a second consecutive World Cup final.

Deschamps’ contract was scheduled to expire at the end of 2022, with Zidane rumoured to take over command of the national team.

“This gives me great pleasure,” said Deschamps at the FFF press conference on Saturday.

“We spent four weeks in our bubble from the world. You know the high esteem that I have for the France national team. What we experienced was happiness. The end was cruel, but my desire is shared by that of my president. I did not hesitate. I needed some time, as I do after every big competition,” Deschamps added.

“If I had any hesitation, I would not be here today. There were talks, and the president and I met. It is an important sign of confidence to be under contract until 2026. We will go step by step – results are needed, and I am not planning for the next World Cup yet. There are other things coming up.”

Zidane’s legacy

Popularly known as ‘Zizou,’ Zidane ushered France to their first World Cup victory in 1998, scoring two out of the three winning goals in the final.

Within the same year, Zidane won the Ballon d’Or and continued to play for the national side until the 2006 World Cup.

With the mass retirement of veteran key players such as Bixente Lizarazu, Marcel Desailly, Claude Makelele, and Lilian Thuram, the France 2006 campaign was popular for more than one reason.

Playing against Italy in the finals, Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi in the chest, leaving a last notorious last moment on the pitch.

Upon retiring, Zidane was the first coach to win the Champions League three times in a row when he was in charge of Real Madrid.

Zidane has been out of coaching since resigning from Real Madrid in May 2021.