Former Spanish Prime Minister: "A French national team without any French players"

© picture alliance / nordphoto | nph / Alterphotos

In a column in El Debate, a Spanish online newspaper, Mariano Rajoy, the former prime minister of Spain, made a remarkable statement about the upcoming match between Spain and France: Spain will face a French national team “without any French players.”

The column by Mariano Rajoy, who served as Spain’s prime minister from December 2011 to June 2018 as a member of the Partido Popular, focused primarily on Spain’s victory over Belgium. In the quarterfinals of the World Cup in the U.S., the Spanish team defeated the Belgians 2-1. Rajoy expressed his joy at the victory: “I’m twice as happy. First, because I’m Spanish, and second, because the Belgian players are known as the Red Devils, and I like neither devils nor the color red—except for the exception that proves the rule: Spain’s jersey.”

The former prime minister is also already looking ahead to the semifinal, in which La Roja will face Les Bleus, the French national team. He speaks of the French team’s strength and considers them a formidable opponent, but has a remarkable comment about the French players in store: “France has won every match it has played in this World Cup and is ranked first in the FIFA rankings. Moreover, it has a squad of very high caliber—albeit one without any French players.”

The French national soccer team thus remains the target of racist remarks. The French Embassy in Argentina declared Hebe Casado, vice governor of the Argentine province of Mendoza, persona non grata after a tweet deemed racist and directed at the French national team. She had labeled Les Bleus an “African team with no manners” and criticized Kylian Mbappé.

French Ambassador Romain Nadal condemned the “undoubtedly racist” remarks and stated that there would be no cooperation with her as long as she did not retract her words. Casado defended herself by claiming it was“sarcasm” and “soccer folklore,” but her remarks have caused quite a stir.

Senator Céleste Amarilla of Paraguay also caused a stir with a racist post on Instagram targeting Kylian Mbappé, who promptly called her a “despicable woman.” She, in turn, accused the soccer player of “gender-based and political violence” against her as an elected official. She later claimed that her Instagram account had been hacked.

Picture: © picture alliance / nordphoto | nph / Alterphotos