Former Spain Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has been accused of racism after he stated that the France national team “does not have any French players”. It is the second time this tournament that Les Bleus, or one of their players, have been subjected to racist remarks at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. 

After France beat Paraguay in the last-32 stage, Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla described Kylian Mbappé as a “colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French”. The FFF have denounced the “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable” comments, as have the UN Human Rights office, the Paraguayan government has distanced itself from the remarks, and French prosecutors have launched an investigation.

France’s interior minister critical of Rajoy

The President of France’s football federation (FFF), Philippe Diallo, said that Amarilla’s comments were “criminal and reprehensible”. He has now commented on Rajoy’s comments, which came in his column in El Debate, ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final between La Roja and Les Bleus. “They are currently ranked No.1 in the FIFA rankings. They also have a top-level squad. That said, they don’t have any French players, and they are playing very well,” said Rajoy, who held office between 2011 and 2018.

In a post on social media, Diallo said the following: “Mariano Rajoy’s comments concerning the France national team carry tones of intolerable racism and raise questions about the detestable climate that gives rise to such foul odours. Our players certainly don’t need to receive any nationality certificate from the Spanish Prime Minister. The France national team is the France national team.”

Several leading politicians in France have also denounced the comments from Rajoy’s column. Notably, France’s interior minister, Laurent Nunez, denounced the comments as “completely unacceptable.”