French Football Federation (FFF) boss Noel Le Graet, 81, on Monday apologised for his “clumsy remarks” about Zinedine Zidane’s potential interest in coaching the France national team. Le Graet had said dismissively in an interview on French radio that he “wouldn’t even have taken his call on the phone” when asked whether Zidane had rung him to express an interest in taking over as coach from Didier Deschamps, whose contract ended after the World Cup in Qatar, where reigning champions France lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout after a thrilling final on December 18. However, Deschamps on Saturday signed a new deal until the 2026 World Cup.

It immediately drew criticism from France’s star forward Kylian Mbappe, who took to Twitter to slam Le Graet’s comments. “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that,” Mbappe wrote to his 11 million-plus followers online. French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera also waded in, demanding an apology from Le Graet, calling it “a shameful lack of respect”.