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Spain's ex-PM draws criticism with "xenophobic" remark on French team
🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Spain's ex-PM draws criticism with "xenophobic" remark on French team

From CNA · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy drew criticism for a remark about France's national football team lacking "French players."
  • Spanish and French officials condemned the statement as xenophobic and racist.
  • The French embassy in Madrid clarified that all French team players are indeed French, with most born in France.

Spain's former conservative prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has faced widespread criticism both domestically and in France following a controversial remark about the French national football team. In an opinion piece for the online news site El Debate, Rajoy stated that the team had "no French players," just days before Spain was set to face France in a World Cup semi-final.

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. Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements.

— Pedro SanchezSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemning Mariano Rajoy's remarks on X.

The comments were swiftly condemned by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who labeled the statement "xenophobic." Sanchez emphasized that Spain belongs to those who love and work for it, not those who shame it with such remarks. Transport Minister Oscar Puente was more blunt, calling Rajoy a "post-Franco idiot."

All the players of the French team are French. Of 26 players, 23 were born in France. The three who were born abroad are also French.

— French Embassy in MadridThe French embassy's response on social media to Rajoy's comments.

French politicians also reacted strongly. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez deemed the comment "absolutely unacceptable." Communist party leader Fabien Roussel drew parallels to previous controversial remarks, accusing Rajoy of "racist obsessions." Minister for Discrimination Aurore Berge denounced the "repeated racist outbursts," calling for sport to be judged solely on talent.

They just can't stop themselves from slinging this disgusting racism.

— Fabien RousselCommunist party leader Fabien Roussel comparing Rajoy's remark to other criticized comments.

France's embassy in Madrid issued a clarification on social media, stating that all players on the French team are French citizens, with 23 of the 26 players born in France. Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, described Rajoy's comments as carrying an "intolerable undertone of racism."

It's time they stopped and that sport becomes sport again: a place where you are judged on your talent and by no other criteria.

— Aurore BergeMinister against discrimination Aurore Berge denouncing the comments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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