15/07/2026 09:39 - Internacionales
On July 14, 2026, just before the first semifinal of the 2026 World Cup between France and Spain, former Spanish President Mariano Rajoy published a column in the Spanish newspaper El Debate claiming that the French national team plays without Frenchmen. Rajoy, a prominent conservative figure in Spain, made remarks that immediately drew international condemnation.
Both the current President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, quickly distanced themselves from the statements. On the French side, political figures like Laurent Nuñez and Éléonore Caroit also harshly criticized the former president's comments.
In response to the controversy, the French Embassy issued a statement to clarify the team's composition. Out of the 26 called-up players, 23 were born on French soil, while the remaining 3 (Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram, and Brice Samba) were born abroad but legally hold French nationality—a common reality in modern globalized sports.
In an article published in El País on the same day, Lamia El Aaraje mentioned that Rajoy was not the only one making unfortunate declarations. A Paraguayan senator, Celeste Amarilla, allegedly made racist comments against Kylian Mbappé after the Round of 16 match (France 1-0 Paraguay). Additionally, the Vice Governor of the Argentine province of Mendoza, Hebe Casado, mocked the team by calling France an African team, which also sparked a diplomatic conflict.
Despite the off-field tension, the match took place on July 14, 2026, at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, USA. The Spanish national team defeated France 2-0, securing their spot in the grand final scheduled for Sunday, bringing immense joy to their fans.
Source: Infobae
Alfredo S. Quiroga
