Xenophobic message from Spain: "France is a great team without the French"

Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stated that “France is a great team without the French.”

The context becomes clearer when considering that Rajoy is a former leader of Spain’s influential conservative party. He is also not the first person to target France’s dark-skinned footballers during the World Cup. Before him, Paraguayan politician Celeste Amarilla made similar remarks, including calling Mbappé “a colonized Cameroonian pretending to be French,” while also mocking his intelligence.

Rajoy’s statement drew significant attention, prompting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to address the issue and condemn it from the country’s highest office.

“Some people still judge whether someone belongs to a country based on their surname, place of birth, or skin color. Others judge it based on the depth of their ties to that country and their willingness to give back to it — by playing football, caring for the elderly, or starting businesses. Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it, not those who bring shame to it with xenophobic statements. France, see you in the semifinal. May the better team win, and may racism be defeated,” Sánchez said.