Madrid (AFP) – Spain's conservative ex-prime minister Mariano Rajoy faced criticism at home and in France Sunday after saying the neighbouring country's national football team had "no French players".
Issued on: 12/07/2026 - 20:08Modified: 12/07/2026 - 20:38
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France's success in the tournament so far has delighted fans across France © Valery HACHE / AFP
The comment, published in an opinion piece in Spanish online news site El Debate, came as Spain prepares to face France Tuesday in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final.Spain's current Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the remark as "xenophobic"."There are those who still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin colour. Others measure it by our roots in a country and our will to contribute to it," the Socialist leader wrote on X."Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements."Transport Minister Oscar Puente dismissed Rajoy as a "post-Franco idiot".French politicians have also lashed out at Rajoy's comment.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told French channel BFMTV that Rajoy's comment was "absolutely unacceptable".
