Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s conservative former prime minister, has come under criticism both in Spain and France following an opinion piece published on Sunday, July 12th, 2026, on the Spanish online news site El Debate. In the piece, Rajoy controversially stated that the French national football team had "no French players" as Spain prepared to face France in the World Cup semifinal scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th, 2026.

The remark sparked accusations of xenophobia and ignited debate around national identity and race in sports. After France’s victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16, a commentator described star player Kylian Mbappe as a "colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French."

French Socialist party leader Olivier Faure responded on X, emphasizing that France "has no skin colour or religion," underscoring the country's multicultural identity. He also noted that "every time Les Bleus win, the same racist obsessions and insults re-emerge."

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions around race and nationality in international football, especially as the World Cup continues to be a stage for both sporting excellence and social discourse.

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