Mariano Rajoy defended himself with sarcasm rather than apologizing after earlier comments saying France's national football team had "no French players" sparked accusations of racism and hatred from politicians in both countries. In a new column, Rajoy did not directly address his earlier remark but sarcastically thanked authorities for the attention they paid him during the World Cup.
15 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
With France, Spain, England and Argentina—the four highest-ranked sides—as the last teams standing in the World Cup, an African observer reflects that Morocco's exit marks the continent's failure to bridge the gap between African talent and global excellence, and that African teams must develop sustainable depth rather than relying on flashes of brilliance.
15 July 2026 · The Standard →
France, which had scored 16 goals in six matches before the semi-final, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Spain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with French attackers Mbappé and teammates unable to break through Spain's midfield control.
15 July 2026 · The Standard →
Kylian Mbappe said France's 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain was caused by tactical and technical blunders, particularly a failure to press Spain high up the pitch and being outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield. The 27-year-old French captain, who scored eight goals in the tournament, called the defeat a "huge disappointment" that ended France's bid for a third straight World Cup final appearance.
15 July 2026 · The Standard →
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the World Cup semi-final on July 14, 2026, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal (penalty) and Pedro Porro, progressing to face either England or Argentina in the final.
15 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →