Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has reiterated his controversial remarks about the French national football team in a new opinion piece published in 'El Debate' following Spain's World Cup semi-final victory over France. Rajoy's column, titled 'You need to keep your sense of humour', defends his earlier statement that the French team was 'of a very high level' but 'without French players', a comment widely interpreted as xenophobic and questioning the nationality of players with immigrant backgrounds.
Rajoy's latest article also includes a veiled criticism of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stating he hopes 'the best team win' rather than implying the winning team should be the 'best'. This appears to be a response to Sánchez's earlier condemnation of Rajoy's comments, which the Prime Minister had called 'shameful for Spain'. Rajoy concluded his piece by reaffirming his views and expressing his support for Spain.
The controversy initially erupted after Rajoy's column following Spain's quarter-final win, where he made the contentious remark about the French squad. The French embassy pointed out that most of the French players were born in France, and various Spanish government officials, including the Foreign Minister and Government Spokesperson, criticized Rajoy's words. The Equality Minister, Ana Redondo, also reacted to Rajoy's second article, questioning his understanding of Spain and sports values.
The debate has also extended to the Spanish football team, with player Lamine Yamal, who has Moroccan and Equatoguinean heritage, emphasizing football's role in social cohesion. The discussion about national team origins has also seen comments from Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Football Federation, who questioned the 'Spanishness' of Yamal, despite the player's choice to represent Spain.
