- Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy has faced widespread criticism from French and Spanish officials for claiming France's World Cup squad "does not have any French players" in a column for El Debate.
- Rajoy's incendiary remarks, published ahead of the World Cup semi-final between France and Spain, were condemned as "stupidity, racism or a combination of the two" by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
- Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, stated that Rajoy’s comments carried "intolerable whiffs of racism" and raised concerns about the "deplorable climate" that gives rise to such sentiments.
- Spain’s ruling Socialist government also denounced the comments, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posting on X about measuring belonging by contribution rather than surname or skin colour, and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares urging Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to publicly disavow Rajoy's statements.
- This incident follows previous racially charged remarks directed at the French team during the World Cup, which led to French captain Kylian Mbappé criticising a Paraguayan senator.
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