French soccer leader seeks to smooth Macron row

PARIS (AP) — One day after French President Emmanuel Macron upset UEFA’s leader, France’s most senior soccer official has tried to smooth relations.

French soccer federation president Noël Le Graët says “UEFA can count on France to be disciplined in the best way possible.”

Le Graët was giving a welcome address to FIFA’s 211 member nations as their host federation for the Women’s World Cup, which opens Friday.

At an official reception on Tuesday, Macron angered UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin by criticizing proposed reforms of the Champions League which would favor rich clubs.

Ceferin later told The Associated Press it was “clear interference of politics in sports.”

Le Graët says he’s “delighted to work alongside” Ceferin, and that while France’s voice should be heard in soccer debate “there shouldn’t be interference from anybody else.”

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