Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy has caused a political storm with a comment about the French national football team ahead of Spain’s World Cup semi-final against France.
The remark
In an opinion article, Rajoy wrote that France had a top-level squad, “but without Frenchmen” — a comment widely interpreted as questioning the national identity of players from immigrant backgrounds.
Reaction in Spain
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the remark as “shameful” and said it did not reflect Spanish values of respect and inclusion.
Reaction in France
The comment drew a strong response from the French government:
- Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it “absolutely unacceptable”, stressing that France is a diverse republic.
- The French embassy in Spain pointed out that 23 of the 26 players in the squad were born in France, and that the three born abroad are also French citizens.
- Aurore Bergé, the minister responsible for equality and the fight against discrimination, said repeated racist remarks of this kind were intolerable.
- Naïma Moutchou, minister for overseas territories, urged the French Football Federation to consider legal action, noting that similar comments resurface after every French success.
Rajoy, who led Spain’s government for the Partido Popular from 2011 to 2018, had not responded publicly to the criticism at the time of writing.
A familiar debate
Comments questioning the “Frenchness” of France’s multi-ethnic national team have a long history, and have often resurfaced at major tournaments. France’s successful teams, including the World Cup winners of 1998 and 2018, have been celebrated in France as a reflection of the country’s diversity — while also attracting criticism from some political figures at home and abroad.
Football and identity
The episode shows how football can become a stage for wider debates about immigration, identity and national belonging. Spain’s own squad includes players with family roots in other countries, such as Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who have become symbols of a more diverse national team.
On the pitch, the semi-final will be decided by the players. Off it, the reaction to Rajoy’s comment suggests that such remarks are increasingly seen as unacceptable on both sides of the Pyrenees.
