Lamine Yamal cites France and Spain as examples of integration in response to the Rajoy controversy

On the eve of the 2026 World Cup semi-final between Spain and France, Lamine Yamal was asked about the controversy sparked by former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's comments that the French team was 'without French people'. The FC Barcelona player defended football's integrating role, citing France and Spain as examples of success in this regard. He refused to prolong the controversy, preferring to focus on the sporting stakes of the match. Rajoy had written in a column that the French team was top-level but without French people, prompting political reactions in France and Spain.