Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy commented on the French team, claiming that they play "far from the French". This sparked negative reactions, as he was accused of racism.

Comments by Mariano Rajoy, former Spanish Prime Minister, have generated strong reactions on the political scene, just a few days before the World Cup semifinal between Spain and France, scheduled for Tuesday in Dallas. In an article published in El Debate, Rajoy analyzed Spain's victory against Belgium and stated that the French team is one of 'first hand', but plays 'without Frenchmen', a controversial reference to the players' origins.

This remark has been interpreted as a racist insinuation, provoking outrage from MEP José Cepeda, who labeled the comments as 'racist and xenophobic'. Similar reactions also came from France, where Aurore Bergé emphasized that such outbursts are intolerable. Fabien Roussel, the national secretary of the French Communist Party, called for Rajoy's condemnation, comparing his statements to recent racist comments directed at player Kylian Mbappé.

This controversy revives the debate about multiculturalism in French football, a controversial theme since 1998. The coincidence with the official visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to Paris adds a note of tension in the context of the match between the two teams.