Spain-France World Cup semi-final overshadowed by racism controversy over Rajoy comments

A political row has erupted in Spain after Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of making comments that concealed racist and xenophobic sentiments about France's national football team.

Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Albares criticised remarks Rajoy made in a newspaper column published ahead of Tuesday's World Cup semi-final between Spain and France.

Rajoy wrote in El Debate that France had a world-class squad, "but without French players," prompting criticism in both Spain and France.

"I am not a judge, but of course that phrase conceals something terrible," Albares said.

"It is not only hurtful, but extraordinarily dangerous. We cannot allow it. We cannot allow that under phrases spoken in such a way, which seem to conceal, deep down, directly or indirectly, racist and xenophobic sentiments."

The foreign minister urged Popular Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo to publicly reject Rajoy's remarks and called for the article to be withdrawn.

"France, alongside Spain, is a driving force of European construction. We share values. The Popular Party is acting against all of that. Going against all of that is nothing more and nothing less than a former Prime Minister. I respect the figures of former Prime Ministers immensely, but I also demand responsibility from them in how they conduct themselves and what they say," Albares said.

Feijoo, who has a long-standing political and personal relationship with Rajoy, had not publicly responded to the minister's demand at the time of publication.

The controversy also drew criticism from France.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described Rajoy's remarks as unacceptable and said France is a diverse country where everyone has a place.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also weighed in, saying a person's national identity should not be judged by their "surname, place of birth, or skin colour."