Willy Sagnol Faces Backlash: Patrick Mboma Distances Himself from Controversial Remarks
Willy Sagnol’s attempt to defend his controversial remarks about African players has backfired, as Patrick Mboma, whose past comments the Bordeaux coach tried to use in his favor, publicly disassociated himself from Sagnol’s interpretation and called for an apology.
During a press conference on Thursday, Sagnol attempted to justify his comments on the “typical African player” — whom he described as “powerful and athletic but lacking tactical discipline” — by quoting a 2012 blog post by Patrick Mboma. Sagnol read out part of Mboma’s analysis on African football, suggesting that the Cameroonian legend shared his views.
But Mboma hit back forcefully, accusing Sagnol of selectively quoting and misrepresenting his words:
“He masked part of my comments where I talk about the technical qualities of the African footballer,” Mboma told Le Parisien. “It’s not great to want to make me someone who will legitimize his comments.”
Mboma also expressed disappointment that Sagnol did not issue a proper apology:
“He said he was sorry, but he didn’t understand. He’s trying to defend himself. He thinks quoting me will relieve him. I don’t know who he is — we’ve never met. I don’t think he’s racist, but his comments are serious and he doesn’t realize it. He’s protected by his club president and federal authorities. But he should’ve been told: ‘Go ahead, apologize!’”
Mboma joins a growing list of football figures who have condemned Sagnol’s comments, including Patrick Vieira, Antoine Kombouaré, Joseph-Antoine Bell, and even former Togolese Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh, who wrote a poem denouncing the remarks.
The controversy has stirred a deep debate in French football about stereotyping and racial bias, especially in light of past incidents, including the 2011 “quota affair.” With calls for accountability growing louder, Sagnol’s position — and credibility — appears increasingly fragile.
