Former Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, has ignited a significant controversy, drawing severe criticism from both within Spain and France. The condemnation follows his provocative statement alleging that the French national football team contains “not a single French player.” This diplomatic and sporting incident comes just as France is poised to face Spain in a highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal match.
The intense rivalry between the two European powerhouses is scheduled to culminate on the night of July 14, at 2 AM, as they compete for a coveted spot in the World Cup final. However, on July 12, Spanish newspaper El Debate published Rajoy’s controversial remarks, which rapidly fueled widespread outrage. His comments, broadly perceived as xenophobic and racist, elicited strong disapproval not only from French football enthusiasts but also from a considerable segment of Spanish fans.
Spain’s current Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, swiftly denounced Rajoy’s statement, unequivocally labeling it as “racism and xenophobia.” Taking to social media platform X, Sanchez articulated his concern, stating, “Some people still measure nationality based on surnames, place of birth, or skin color.” Reinforcing this sentiment, Spain’s Minister of Transport, Oscar Puente, also criticized Rajoy’s words, dismissing them as ignorant and ill-considered.
French political figures also strongly condemned the former Spanish leader’s comments. Laurent Nunez, France’s Minister of Interior, conveyed on French television channel BFMTV that such remarks were “totally unacceptable.” Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, drew parallels between Rajoy’s comments and previous controversial statements made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla. Amarilla had notably claimed, after Paraguay’s elimination by France in the round of 16, that star player Kylian Mbappé was “Cameroonian under colonial rule who changed French nationality.” Roussel emphasized that individuals making such “disgusting racist remarks” seemed unable to restrain themselves. Aurore Berge, the French Anti-Discrimination Minister, also condemned these “repeated outbursts of racism,” asserting that “It is time for them to stop and let the sport speak for itself. Every player should be judged solely on their talent, without any other conditions.”
In an official response aimed at clarifying the situation, the French Embassy in Madrid issued a statement on social media, detailing the composition of the national team: “All players of the French team are French. Among the 26 players, 23 were born in France, and the three born abroad are also French citizens.” Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation, expressed his profound disappointment with Rajoy’s comments, unequivocally deeming them to contain “unacceptable racism.”
