Spain defender Pau Cubarsí don call for tolerance after former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy tok say France ‘no get any French players’ for dia World Cup squad. Rajoy write am for Spanish newspaper El Debate, before Tuesday semifinal between di two nations.
Wen RAC1 radio ask am about di column, Cubarsí disagree. ‘If dem play for French national team, at di end of di day dem be French, no matter di colour of dia skin, because ultimately we must be tolerant with everybody,’ di Barcelona defender tok. ‘Di colour of dia skin no matter because we be all people and we all deserve respect.’
Rajoy comments don draw plenty condemnation from political figures inside Spain. Spain Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Puente, call Rajoy ‘dim-witted, post-Francoist crook.’ Current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez refer to di comments without naming Rajoy, writing on X: ‘Dere be those wey still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin colour. Others measure am by our roots for a country and our will to contribute to am. Playing football. Caring for our elders. Or opening businesses. France, we go see you for semifinals. Make di best one win and make racism lose.’
Meanwhile, French embassy for Madrid write: ‘Without wanting to enter controversy, e dey worth recalling di facts: All di players for French national team be French. Of di 26 players, 23 dem born for France. Di three wey dem born abroad dem be French as well.’
Various government ministers for France don accuse Rajoy of racism. Olivier Faure, leader of France Socialist Party, post: ‘Di French team consist only of French people. France no be ethnic nation; e no get skin colour or religion. E be political nation united around di republican motto. Much to di dismay of di racist right.’
Naïma Moutchou, France Minister of di Overseas, call on France Football Federation to take legal action against Rajoy. ‘Wit every victory for Les Bleus, di same obsessions and racist insults resurface,’ she tok. ‘Dem no be slips. Dis be methodical and normalised hatred of France and wetin e be.’
Rajoy comments come after Kylian Mbappé speak out against racist comments wey Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla make, calling her ‘despicable woman unworthy of her office.’
Spain don apologise to France after di row. According to Reuters, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares tell im French counterpart say Rajoy comments be ‘intolerable’ and no represent views of di overwhelming majority of Spaniards. ‘E be very serious matter to dey use skin colour to determine who fit be citizen and who cannot,’ Albares tok, describing di remarks as carrying ‘di poison of racism and xenophobia.’
Di diplomatic row erupt after Rajoy write for Spanish online publication El Debate say while France get ‘squad of di very highest calibre,’ dem get ‘no French players for am’—an apparent reference to African and Afro-Caribbean heritage of several members of di World Cup holders squad. Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, wey dey Paris for France National Day celebrations, also condemn di remarks, criticising ‘those wey measure nationality by a person’s surname, birthplace or skin colour’ and describing Rajoy comments as ‘shamefully xenophobic.’
Di controversy come just days after another racism incident involving France captain Kylian Mbappé, wey Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla target after Paraguay World Cup exit. Amarilla describe Mbappe as ‘colonised Cameroonian’ wey dey try pass imself as French, prompting di striker to condemn di remarks and defend imself and im teammates.
For France, Rajoy comments draw rare cross-party condemnation. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot tok: ‘France no get skin colour. Any statement to di contrary be sign of idiocy, racism, or both combined.’ Even di far-right National Rally criticise di former Spanish leader, wit party spokesman Julien Odoul calling di remarks ‘scandalous, shameful and deplorable’ and branding Rajoy ‘a racist.’
Rajoy no don respond publicly to di backlash. A spokesperson for im People’s Party insist di column na sarcasm and carry no ill intent.
