Close associate of Zinedine Zidane arrested as €60,300 payment from Kylian Mbappé is probed
Mohamed Sanhadji, a close Zidane associate, was detained and is under judicial supervision over alleged corruption and a €60,300 payment tied to Kylian Mbappé.
Zinedine Zidane's first days as France coach have been overshadowed by a judicial probe and the arrest of a close longtime collaborator. Mohamed Sanhadji, who handled security and logistics for Les Bleus for nearly two decades, was detained and later placed under judicial supervision over alleged financial crimes linked to a payment from Kylian Mbappé.
Judicial measures and bans
French authorities say Sanhadji was brought before an investigating judge on 16 September after spending 48 hours in police custody. He is reportedly facing charges including corruption, influence peddling, fraud and money laundering connected to tax fraud. As part of the judicial supervision he has been banned from contacting current and former players, staff, national team coaches and leaders of the French Football Federation (FFF).
The measures also forbid him from entering the FFF headquarters in Clairefontaine, the Stade de France and Parc des Princes unless he receives explicit judicial permission. He was ordered to lodge a deposit of €80,000, and French media say he is barred from working in professional sport.
Investigators are focusing on a payment of €60,300 that Mbappé made in June 2023, reportedly taken from his 2022 World Cup bonus. According to published reports, Mbappé has explained the transfer as a gift to thank Sanhadji for his involvement during the World Cup.
Sanhadji has been part of the French set-up since 2004, originally as a police liaison and security officer, and later as a central figure in logistics for successive squads and coaching staffs. The restrictions prevented him from attending France's first training camp under Zidane, despite the new coach's insistence that his longtime aide remain with the team.
The investigation marks a fresh scandal for the national side as Zidane begins his tenure, raising questions about off-field governance and the handling of payments linked to top players.
Photo: press material from the event
