Paris attacks: Mobile phone 'saved man's life' outside Stade de France

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A mobile phone has been credited with saving the life of a man who was caught up in gunfire when terrorists launched an attack outside the Stade de France in Paris on Friday night. 

In an extraordinary interview with iTele in France, the man named only as Sylvestre claimed his head would have "exploded" if not for his mobile phone, which apparently absorbed the impact of a bullet.

The man, known as Syvestre, says his phone saved his life. Photo: iTele

Sylvestre, who said he was also shot in the foot and suffered a bullet graze to his torso, was still clutching his white mobile phone, which had a large dent on one side and a shattered screen on the other.

"Look here, this is my phone that saved my life. Otherwise my head would've exploded," he told iTele.

Sylvestre was wearing only one shoe and, when asked about his wounds, said he had been shot in the foot and had been patched up.

The phone had a large dent on one side and a shattered screen. Photo: iTele

He also said a bullet had grazed his ribcage, pointing to his torso. There was a bullet hole in his T-shirt, which was stained with blood. He believed his thick jacket may have absorbed some of the impact of that bullet.

"I wouldn't wish it on anyone," he said.

France and Germany were playing a friendly soccer international at Stade de France in the presence of French President Francois Hollande and 80,000 spectators when an explosion was heard at 9.17pm, local time. Spectators distinctly heard a second detonation about two minutes later.

But some fans reportedly believed the noise may have been a firecracker, and even chanted "Ole!" in response to the noise.

The attack at the stadium was one of five to six coordinated terrorist attacks across the French capital on Friday night, in which at least 158 people were killed.