Ex‑Spanish Prime Minister's Column Provokes Outcry Before France‑Spain Semifinal

Overview

• Mariano Rajoy published an opinion column on Sunday saying France has a squad “without French,” a line that drew immediate attention and anger in both countries.
• French interior minister Laurent Nuñez called the remark “absolutely inacceptable,” Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez and other Spanish officials publicly criticized Rajoy, and FFF president Philippe Diallo described the comments as racist.
• Journalistic checks showed Rajoy’s claim was inaccurate because 23 of Didier Deschamps’s 26 call‑ups were born in France, with Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram and Brice Samba the only players born abroad.
• The controversy unfolded hours before the World Cup semifinal between France and Spain at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday, July 14, a match in which France enter unbeaten, Kylian Mbappé is a leading scorer, and Deschamps called Spain the pre‑match favorite.
• The episode spotlights recurring tensions over nationality and representation in European football and could deepen political strains between Madrid and Paris if the debate stays in public view after the match.