Violence in France: Théo Hernandez's partner defends Saudi Arabian laws, Tiziri Digne supports protesters

The violence that shook France and Italy this weekend sparked contrasting reactions from those close to French internationals. Zoe Cristofoli, partner of Théo Hernandez, and Tiziri Digne, wife of Lucas Digne, both took public positions — in radically opposite directions.

Based in Riyadh since the defender joined Al-Hilal fifteen months ago, Zoe Cristofoli posted a message on Instagram on Monday praising the severity of Saudi Arabia’s judicial system. “Happy to live in Saudi Arabia, where if you steal from your neighbour, they cut off your hands,” wrote the Italian influencer, who has over a million followers. “If you deliberately cause harm, you know you will suffer the same fate. At first, I thought it was too much. Now I think there is no other way to calm certain animals. No mitigating circumstances for these disgusting beings.”

In response to the reactions her comments sparked, Cristofoli posted a clarification, without backing down on the substance. “I am not racist and I never will be. But faced with images of violence and wars we are currently seeing in Italy, France and other European countries, I think that today it is too easy to simply comment on what is happening.” She called for examining the root causes of tensions rather than focusing solely on their visible consequences.

The day before, Tiziri Digne had adopted the opposite stance. The wife of left-back Lucas Digne had voiced support for the protesters by invoking French history: “Stop acting shocked over a looted luxury storefront or a burnt bus stop when there are much deeper problems affecting our society.” She also recalled that the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, celebrated every year in France, was also marked by “riots, fires, destruction, looting and many deaths”.

The two statements illustrate the polarization of debates surrounding recent events, including in circles close to professional football.