Overview
- Spain will face France on Tuesday, July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Argentina will play England on Wednesday, July 15 in Atlanta for places in the World Cup final.
- The French embassy in Buenos Aires has declared Mendoza vicegovernor Hebe Casado persona non grata and barred French officials from meetings with her unless she retracts derogatory remarks about the team.
- Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s column saying France plays “without Frenchmen” prompted public condemnation from French ministers and the French embassy in Madrid, which reiterated that the players are French citizens.
- Football bodies have moved in parallel: the Italian federation confirmed Paolo Maldini as its new national-team director after Italy failed to qualify and the Senegalese Football Federation dismissed coach Pape Thiaw following Senegal’s elimination.
- France’s squad is ethnically diverse with most players born in France, a fact that has made recent comments legally and politically sensitive and could lead to further diplomatic or federation actions to address racial incitement.