France security chief charged over Mbappé's €60,000 World Cup gift

Zinedine Zidane's project as France head coach has hit its first serious bump before a ball has even been kicked. Mohamed Sanhadji, the man chosen to oversee logistics and security for the national team, was charged on Wednesday by French judicial authorities in connection with the financial gift Kylian Mbappé made to him after the 2022 World Cup. The Paris public prosecutor's office confirmed the decision, which includes charges of corruption of a person exercising public authority.

• Mohamed Sanhadji was charged on Wednesday with corruption of a person exercising public authority, among other offences.
• Court-ordered restrictions bar him from contacting players, coaching staff, managers, presidents and personnel of the French Football Federation.
• Kylian Mbappé handed him a €60,300 cheque in June 2023, matching his bonus from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
• Sanhadji will not join the squad when Zinedine Zidane's France begin training at Clairefontaine on Monday.

Who is Mohamed Sanhadji, France's trusted security figure

A former police officer and a respected figure within the French Football Federation, Mohamed Sanhadji spent more than two decades linked to the national team's security setup, from 2004 until December 2025. His approachable style with players made him highly valued by both internationals and federation officials. That trust, built up over many years, is what opened the door for him to join the coaching staff that accompanies the team at major tournaments.

When Zinedine Zidane took over the national side, Sanhadji was appointed head of logistics and security for the new backroom team. But this week's court ruling means he will miss the camp that begins on Monday at Clairefontaine, leaving the squad to start preparations without one of its most experienced dressing-room collaborators.

The root of the case: a €60,300 cheque after the Qatar World Cup

The investigation traces back to a gesture Kylian Mbappé made towards Sanhadji shortly after the tournament in Qatar. In June 2023, the forward handed him a cheque for €60,300, equal to his bonus from the 2022 World Cup. From the player's perspective it was a customary gesture within the group, but the transaction did not go unnoticed by French financial authorities.

A banker flagged the movement to Tracfin, the financial intelligence unit of France's Ministry of Finance, in July 2024. That alert triggered a judicial investigation into undeclared work and money laundering linked to tax fraud. The case moved forward another step in January 2026 with the opening of a formal judicial inquiry.

The court restrictions keeping Sanhadji away from the players

The restrictions imposed by the judge are broad and directly affect the security chief's daily role. Details published by L'Équipe state that Sanhadji is barred from any contact with current and former national team players, with France's current coaching staff, with managers from any era, and with presidents and personnel of the French Football Federation. He is also prohibited from contacting the directors and deputy directors of the Central Directorate of the Republican Security Companies since 2011.

The scope of these measures underlines the serious view the justice system takes of the matter. That a national team security official should be cut off from the very people he was meant to protect leaves Zidane's backroom team without a key piece just as it begins its work.

What this setback means for Zidane and the 2026 World Cup build-up

Sanhadji's charges arrive at a delicate time for the French national team, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and a newly launched sporting project. The federation had decided to hire the former police officer directly to travel with the squad to the tournament in North America, but his immediate future now depends on the legal process.

For Zinedine Zidane, starting his tenure as national coach with a corruption case touching his inner circle represents the first major media storm of his mandate. The Marseille-born coach already faced the challenge of managing a squad full of egos and expectations; he must now also handle the absence of a collaborator who knew the dressing room's inner workings well.

Mbappé and Sanhadji: a relationship under judicial scrutiny

The figure of Kylian Mbappé, France captain and cornerstone of the national project, is inevitably tied to a legal case. The former Paris Saint-Germain player and current Real Madrid star has not been charged, but the gift that sparked the investigation puts the spotlight on the nature of relationships between players and security staff within the national setup.

Sanhadji's defence will have to explain why an active police officer accepted such a large sum without informing his superiors. The theory of a disinterested gift clashes with the offences he faces, including corruption of a person exercising public authority, a charge that highlights the conflict between his status as a public official and his personal connection with the forward.