France players targeted by racist remarks during World Cup

Racist remarks targeted France’s players after their 3-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday evening in the World Cup Round of 16, illustrating recurring hostility towards the composition of the Bleus.

Thaïs d’Escufon, former spokesperson for the Génération Identitaire movement, published a particularly virulent tweet in response to a question about the emotional connection a “true Frenchman” might have with this team. “I don’t care about football at all, but as a true French person of native stock, I hope we lose, to silence all these hardline immigration activists who use every victory to promote a multicultural France,” she wrote, before adding that she “would exchange all the World Cups won by this team for a charter flight to Africa”.

In the stands during France-Sweden, a Swedish influencer identified as Marlon made similar remarks. “No French player is actually from France, they all come from elsewhere. That’s cheating,” he declared.

These reactions fit into a broader context. France’s players had already been targeted by racist chants from Argentine supporters during the 2022 World Cup. Despite performances praised by the international press — Didier Deschamps’ team’s offensive power has drawn admiration from observers worldwide — the origins of certain Bleus continue to fuel discriminatory discourse on the margins of the competition.