Ex-spanish PM Faces Backlash for Controversial Comments on France's Team
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Mariano Rajoy, former Prime Minister of Spain
Al Jazeera - Pedro Sanchez, current Prime Minister of Spain
Al Jazeera - Oscar Puente, Transport Minister of Spain
Al Jazeera - Laurent Nunez, French Interior Minister
Al Jazeera - Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party
Al Jazeera - Aurore Berge, French Anti-Discrimination Minister
Al Jazeera - Naima Moutchou, France’s Minister for Overseas Territories
Al Jazeera - Olivier Faure, leader of the French Socialist Party
Al Jazeera - Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Mariano Rajoy stated that the French national football team had “no French players” in an opinion piece.
Al Jazeera - Spain is preparing to face France in a World Cup semifinal.
Al Jazeera - Pedro Sanchez condemned Rajoy's remark as “xenophobic.”
Al Jazeera - France's embassy in Madrid stated that of the 26 players on the French team, 23 were born in France, and the three born abroad are also French.
The Guardian - Rajoy's article mentioned that France has been a two-time world champion and was a finalist in the last World Cup.
The Guardian - France is currently ranked No 1 in the FIFA rankings.
WHERE:
Al Jazeera - The comments were made in an opinion piece published on the Spanish website El Debate.
Al Jazeera - The remarks drew responses from politicians in both Spain and France.
WHEN:
Al Jazeera - The opinion piece was published on a Sunday.
Al Jazeera - The World Cup semifinal match is scheduled for Tuesday.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - Rajoy's comments were criticized for promoting a narrative of exclusion based on ethnicity and nationality.
The Guardian - The backlash was fueled by comparisons to a recent racist comment made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla regarding Kylian Mbappé.
HOW:
Al Jazeera - Various politicians expressed their outrage through social media platforms, including X.
(UPDATED July 13, 2026 01:24 UTC)
Mariano Rajoy, the former Prime Minister of Spain, recently sparked controversy with an opinion piece claiming that the French national football team had “no French players,” a statement that was condemned as “xenophobic” by current Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. As Spain prepares to face France in a World Cup semifinal match scheduled for Tuesday, the French embassy in Madrid clarified that 23 of the 26 players on the team were born in France, with the remaining three also holding French nationality. The backlash against Rajoy's comments has been amplified by comparisons to a recent racist remark made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla, prompting outrage from politicians across both Spain and France on social media.