Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sparked a wave of controversy with remarks described as insulting toward the French national team, ahead of the highly anticipated clash between 'La Roja' and 'Les Bleus' on Tuesday in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup in Dallas, USA.

In an opinion piece published by the Spanish newspaper El Debate, the former leader of the People's Party congratulated the Spanish national team on its qualification, but then veered off his analytical track to make a controversial remark about the French squad, saying it 'has a very high level, and that without any French players,' in an implicit reference to the African origins of the majority of the team's stars.

Rajoy had begun his analysis by praising the French national team, noting its two World Cup titles, its appearance in the final of the previous edition, its top spot in the FIFA rankings, and its victory in all matches of the current tournament, before making his controversial statement.

The former prime minister highlighted the challenge awaiting the Spanish defense—the best defense in the tournament, led by Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsí—against star Kylian Mbappé, who tops the scoring chart with eight goals alongside Lionel Messi, as well as the French attacking strength represented by Ousmane Dembélé (5 goals) and Michael Olise (5 assists).