Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has come under intense criticism after claiming that France’s national football team “does not have any French players” in a newspaper column published ahead of Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against France.
Mariano Rajoy’s remarks about the France football team have triggered condemnation from political leaders in both Spain and France, who described the comments as racist, xenophobic and contrary to the values represented by modern European democracies.
Mariano Rajoy France football team remarks draw political backlash
Writing for Spanish publication El Debate, Rajoy praised France’s footballing quality but added that the team “does not have any French players.”
The statement immediately drew criticism from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who rejected the idea that nationality should be defined by ethnicity, skin colour or surname.
“There are those who still measure belonging by surname, place of birth or skin colour,” Sánchez wrote on social media.
He added that Spain belongs to people who contribute to the country, regardless of their background, and concluded by wishing France and Spain a fair contest while saying, “May racism lose.”
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French leaders condemn the comments
Mariano Rajoy’s France football team remarks also prompted strong reactions in France.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called the comments “completely unacceptable,” saying France is a nation where diversity is a defining strength.
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure stressed that every member of the French national football team is a French citizen.
“France is not an ethnic nation,” Faure said, adding that the Republic is united by shared civic values rather than race, religion or ancestry.
French Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel also criticised Rajoy’s comments, arguing they echoed recent racist attacks directed at French captain Kylian Mbappé.
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Calls for legal action
France’s Minister for Overseas Territories, Naïma Moutchou, described the comments as part of a recurring pattern whenever France succeeds internationally.
She argued that such statements represent a normalised form of hatred directed at modern France and urged the French Football Federation to explore all possible legal avenues.
The federation had already lodged a complaint against Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla following her racist remarks targeting Mbappé earlier during the tournament.
Debate over identity in football
The controversy surrounding Mariano Rajoy’s France football team remarks has once again highlighted the broader debate over national identity in international sport.
France’s national football team has long reflected the country’s multicultural society, with players from diverse ethnic and family backgrounds representing the nation under French citizenship.
As Spain and France prepare to meet in the World Cup semi-finals, political leaders on both sides have emphasised that sporting rivalry should not become a platform for racial or ethnic discrimination.
The incident has shifted attention beyond football, reigniting discussions across Europe about citizenship, diversity and national identity in contemporary society.