Marc Rétali certainly did not expect to receive a call from Zinédine Zidane one day. The new coach of the France team has decided to create a new position in his medical staff, that of a podiatrist permanently present with the Blues. Doctor Hervé Collado, charged by Zidane with putting together the medical team, then turned to Rétali, with twenty years of experience at FC Sochaux and stints with several cycling teams such as Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ or Decathlon-CMA CGM. “ I made no request and I was asked. I thought it was a joke at first », he says in an interview given to RMC Sport. An impression reinforced when Zidane personally called him to welcome him to his staff: “ His accent is unmistakable… it was really him. »
His journey to the Blues is itself quite improbable. In 2003, when he didn’t know anyone in Sochaux, a hotel owner recommended his services to the club staff to treat a problem with Mickaël Pagis’ foot. The intervention works and gradually opens the doors to professional football for him. Two decades later, he is responsible for following Kylian Mbappé and the French internationals during rallies, with the possibility of manufacturing orthopedic insoles directly on site. For Rétali, this appointment represents the culmination of a career: “ Joining Zinédine Zidane’s staff… it’s a monument for us French people! » Before summarizing the incredible sensation caused by this call: “ It’s a bit like General de Gaulle calling you to go on a special mission. »
