Saturday, the day after Marcus Thuram’s position calling for “fighting so that the RN does not pass”, Philippe Diallo, the president of the FFF, published a press release asking “to avoid any form of pressure and ‘political use of the French team’. In response, perhaps, Kylian Mbappé spoke at length on the same subject on Sunday in Düsseldorf, calling for a fight “against the extremes” and even emphasizing that what was at stake in France, in the legislative elections, was more important. than France-Austria (1-0).
The president of the FFF returned to this area by presenting himself at a press conference this Tuesday in Paderborn. “I have been clear from the start,” he underlined, “first by speaking with the players. I have always said that I guarantee players freedom of expression. These are young men who have an outlook on society, and it is not up to me to restrict their desire to express themselves on subjects that concern their generation. I fully respect these positions. But I am president of a Federation, not head of a party, I do not have to give voting instructions. I must ensure a principle of neutrality. The institution cannot have the same freedom of speech as its players. »
“It was said that the players had no idea about anything, that they were just good at kicking a ball. I’m happy that they’re showing something else, but I’m not instigating them. »
Asked about his attitude if he had to work with an RN minister, he replied: “We are respectful of the republican tradition. The French will choose. » The president of the FFF, as in his press release, had to navigate between the freedom of expression granted to his players and his desire for neutrality: “This is not the first time that the players have expressed themselves, insists -he. It was said that the players had no idea about anything, that they were just good at kicking a ball. I’m happy that they’re showing something else, but I’m not instigating them. But we want to bring the French together around the same jersey. »
He also spoke about the contradiction between his desire for the French team not to be used politically and the words of his players: “I consider that when they express themselves, they do so on an individual basis. What I wanted to emphasize is that political groups are trying to take over the positions of the players. I do not want the France team to be exploited. »
“I am very attached to preserving this idea of gathering. In the initiatives that the players will take, this major element of French unity must be taken into account. »
Finally, he indicated that the collective political initiative, which could come from the players, had not yet been formalized: “At this stage, I do not have the content,” he admitted. If Philippe Diallo ended up saying, during his press conference, that he shared “the republican values” of his players, he seems to doubt that a common text could go as far as the positions of Marcus Thuram and from Kylian Mbappé: “You will have noticed that certain positions have targeted one party, others the extremes. So, there are certainly clarifications to be made. What I tell them is to always be vigilant to preserve the DNA of the French team and the FFF, which is the concern for unity. We have the chance, thanks to their results and their attitude, to be a haven of peace for the French. I am very attached to preserving this idea of gathering. In the initiatives that the players will take, this major element of French unity must be taken into account. »
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