The penalty to Lamine Yamal seen from the residence of the French ambassador in Madrid

MadridThe invitation from the French embassy to the national celebration on July 14th in Madrid already included watching the World Cup semi-final in its program. What they didn't know a month ago when they sent it was that the match would be between France and Spain. And even less so that it would be the same week that a former Spanish government president – Mariano Rajoy i Brey – would make a racist comment about the French players. This has undoubtedly been one of the most talked-about topics this Tuesday at the small palace on Serrano street 124 in Madrid, where the ambassador, Kareen Rispal, resides, and where the commemoration of the storming of the Bastille has been celebrated with hundreds of guests in the Spanish capital.

In fact, it has also been one of the topics in Paris, as the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, took advantage of his presence at the military parade on the Champs-Élysées to apologize for Rajoy's comment: "I feel very ashamed." An apology that five days after the article in El Debate the former PP leader has not yet offered, although this evening at the embassy there was someone who assumed that Rajoy might do so soon in another article.

The first goal, without hiding

Before the match begins, Ambassador Kareen Rispal gives a speech in which she celebrates the "friendship" with Spain and defines it as a key partner in the EU in the face of "challenges", especially in terms of security, global. At this point, no one in the audience can yet drink alcohol, as protocol dictates that it will not be served.champagne until after Rispal's speech and the performance of the respective anthems.

Rajoy's is not the only controversial issue looming between France and the PP at the meeting, as the popular party is at war with the friendship treaty that Sánchez agreed with Macron, which has already been ratified by Congress and is now stalled because the Senate has taken it to the Constitutional Court. From the embassy they acknowledge that they do not want to get involved in internal political matters and maintain prudence, while the PSOE openly points out the PP's intention to punish Pedro Sánchez by any means necessary.

The feeling of watching Spain-France in literally French territory, but in Madrid, is frankly strange. This is admitted by a veteran of the National Police who is in a very long queue to get a taste of French cheeses. At first, only a few attendees – including ministers Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Ana Redondo – are paying attention to the football, but as the match progresses, people start paying more attention to the game. The first shouts from the French are heard when their team approaches the opposing goal. "I don't know if there are more or fewer, but they hold back less...", a group supporting Spain is discussing. A comment that will become outdated a few minutes later with the foul on Lamine Yamal and the penalty. Gooooool! Gooooool! Much euphoria and little restraint, even though they are literally on enemy territory.