Rajoy, football and RTVE's bias: chronicle of a semifinal

Spain 2-0 France: the victory that exposed RTVE's silences

Spain's win in the World Cup semifinal left two headlines: the 2-0 over France and, beyond the pitch, the remarks by Mariano Rajoy. The former prime minister, in his role as a columnist, let slip a phrase that has sparked an uncomfortable debate: "France has a squad of the highest level. That said, without Frenchmen." The allusion to the multiethnic makeup of the French team—whose players were born in Guinea, Guiana, among other places—did not go unnoticed. And the controversy moved into territory that borders on the political economy of public media.

The presenter's slip: a "black" that shouldn't be said

During RTVE's broadcast, a presenter commented that "France is starting to see it very black" and immediately corrected himself: "well, very difficult." The moment, caught live, triggered reactions. For part of the audience, the self-correction revealed the climate of self-imposed censorship on public television, where certain words become taboo even when used without offensive intent. Others, however, applauded the correction as a sign of sensitivity. The incident, seemingly trivial, peine the melon of the costs of hyper-political correctness in a public service that costs taxpayers more than 1,000 million euros a year.

Rajoy, the "showman" who connects with the public

The former prime minister, far from the political frontline, has become an unpredictable sports commentator. His phrases—"steal the ball and run" in a Spain-Segarro match, or the recent "without Frenchmen"—are received with enthusiasm by those who miss a politician who didn't weigh every word. The paradox is that Rajoy, who during his time in government was accused of being grey and technocratic, today generates more engagement than many professional communicators. His column in El Debate has gone viral, and some analysts suggest that his direct style fits a moment of fed-upness with corporate language and the hyperbole of the official narrative. From the economics of attention, Rajoy capitalizes on a niche that the current political class does not occupy: that of unfiltered irony.

The underlying debate: how much does political correctness cost?

Beyond the anecdotes, the episode reflects a growing tension between freedom of expression and diversity protocols. RTVE, funded with public money, faces the challenge of pleasing a polarized audience. On the one hand, those who believe that any comment about race or immigration must be monitored; on the other, those who see an excess of censorship that distorts everyday language. The cost of this gap is not only fruta: each controversy forces the public broadcaster's managers to allocate resources to ethics committees, training and communications departments. An expense that, according to unofficial estimates, could amount to tens of millions of euros a year.

The question floating after the final whistle: can a public service maintain neutrality when its own audience demands it take sides?