Rajoy's remark about France's team sparks racism debate ahead of World Cup semifinal

Reactions from France were not long in coming. Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, accused Rajoy on the platform X of "intolerable racism." His statements revealed "intolerable racism" and raised "questions about the reprehensible climate that allows such a stench in the first place." The French Football Federation also filed a complaint against Paraguayan Senator Amarilla, who had insulted French star Mbappé on the internet after Paraguay's defeat to France.

Sharp criticism from France

Sharp criticism also came from the French government. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated on the channel BFMTV: "Rajoy's statement is absolutely unacceptable." It does not correspond at all to the values of France. "Our players do not need citizenship certificates from a former Spanish prime minister."

In Spain itself, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez distanced himself from his predecessor. On X, Sánchez linked a post with critical comments about Rajoy and wrote: "Some still define belonging by surnames, place of birth, or skin color." Others among us define it by their deep connection to a country and their willingness to stand up for it. Spain belongs to those who love it, not to those who "disgrace it with xenophobic statements." Addressing France, Sánchez added: "May the best team win and racism lose."

Parallels to Paraguay: Racism against Mbappé

The background to the debate is a parallel incident from Paraguay. Senator Amarilla had racially insulted French star Kylian Mbappé online after Paraguay's World Cup defeat to France. The French federation subsequently announced legal action. As a result, the Spain versus France match on Tuesday in Dallas (kickoff 9 p.m., live on ZDF) stands not only as a sporting event but also as a political one, marked by a fundamental debate about identity and belonging in football.

The controversy illustrates how strongly political statements can weigh on the atmosphere shortly before major tournaments. Although Rajoy no longer belongs to the government, he continues to enjoy public attention as a long-standing PP politician. His guest contribution in "El Debate" was shared thousands of times on social networks and triggered a wave of outraged reactions. Observers see the incident as evidence that the handling of migration and national identity in Europe remains a highly sensitive issue – also in the context of sport.

Outlook: The semifinal on Tuesday in Dallas

Sportingly, two of the strongest teams of the tournament meet on Tuesday evening. France, which only narrowly defeated Paraguay in the round of 16, and Spain, which prevailed against Belgium, will play in Dallas for a place in the final. The organizers expect a full stadium and an audience of millions in front of screens. Regardless of the outcome, the racism debate is likely to accompany coverage of the match in the coming days.

Both football associations emphasized in the meantime that they do not intend to let the matter rest. The French federation announced that it would use "all legal means" to take action against insulting and racist statements. FIFA, too, had repeatedly stressed in the past that it condemns discrimination in any form and punishes it with sanctions. The Spanish government stated that it would continue to pursue the issue beyond the match.