As the World Cup semi-final between France and Spain approaches, scheduled for July 14th, a heated controversy has erupted in Spain following the publication of an opinion piece by Mariano Rajoy. The former Spanish Prime Minister, who led the government between 2011 and 2018, directly attacks the French national team. In this text, he asserts that the French squad does not count "No French players in its ranks", a statement immediately denounced as racist by many observers and political leaders.
"No French players": a phrase that provokes outrage
Mariano Rajoy is questioning the composition of the French national team because of the origins of many of its players. His statement implies that the players are not French despite their nationality, the fact that most of them were born in France, or their history within French football. These remarks echo a discourse frequently used by certain identity movements, which consists of challenging the nationality of French players based on their family background.
A new controversy has erupted following comments made by a Paraguayan senator.
This statement from Mariano Rajoy comes a few days after another incident involving the French national team. Following their round of 16 victory against Paraguay, Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla had repeatedly insulted Kylian Mbappé. and made racist remarks. His statements sparked strong reactions in France and Paraguay, where the Senate condemned them. The former Spanish Prime Minister's remarks thus extend a series of controversies surrounding the French team since the start of this World Cup, with several prominent figures questioning the nationality or identity of the players because of their origins.
