sports
Ex-Spanish PM column says France's World Cup team has no French players
Mariano Rajoy wrote that France's squad has no French players. French and Spanish officials condemned the July 10 remarks ahead of the teams' semifinal.
Jul 13, 7:15 PM·1m read1 source
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Abc reported the comment ahead of the teams' semifinal match. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told BFM TV that "France has no skin colour. " Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted on X that some people "still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin colour" and added, "France, we'll see you in the semifinals.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Monday that Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo needed to disavow the remarks. Popular Party spokesperson Borja Sémper stated that Rajoy's remarks were sarcastic and made without malice. French midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery said the team has players from different backgrounds and origins and forms a united group.
Spanish player Lamine Yamal said football serves to integrate people and improve society, citing France and Spain as examples. France and Spain are scheduled to play the World Cup semifinal at 5am AEST on Wednesday in Dallas. French captain Kylian Mbappé had earlier condemned a Paraguayan senator for remarks made after Paraguay's July 4 loss to France.
