BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

'Justice' for multi-racial World Cup winners

  • Published
    16 July 2018
Share page
About sharing
France's Paul Pogba celebrates with teammates after scoring the third of France's four goalsImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

France's Paul Pogba celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal at the World Cup

Rozina Sini
BBC News

A comment heralding the multicultural French World Cup winners has provoked an online debate about racism and immigration.

Shortly after France beat Croatia on Sunday, Khaled Beydoun an American author on Islamophobia, called for "justice" for the diverse team.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post by Khaled Beydoun

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post by Khaled Beydoun

The post has been retweeted more than 163,000 times and gained 370,000 likes since being posted on Sunday following France's 4-2 victory.

The French team is being recognised as one of the most multicultural teams in the competition - 15 out of the 23 players in the national squad can trace their heritage back to Africa, mainly from French colonies.

You may also like:

  • Spiderman rescue: Moment Malian man rescues Paris child

  • World Cup 2018: Swedes reject racism after group stage win

  • World Cup: Does Croatians' #GloryToUkraine message help or hinder?

Kylian MbappeImage source, FRANCK FIFE
Image caption,

Kylian Mbappe, the youngest footballer since Pele to score in a World Cup final, has parents from Cameroon and Algeria

Many people on social media were keen to point out that despite their African roots, the men were "first and foremost French", external, while others blasted Beydoun for using sport to score political points.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 2 by carter till

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 2 by carter till

Some believed the tweet would harm race relations in a country where the issue is already controversial following the recent migrant crisis and a number of terror attacks.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 3 by M.G

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 3 by M.G
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 4 by 'MericanRed

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 4 by 'MericanRed

In 2016 a year after the deadly Paris attack, ex-France footballer Louis Saha said France was lagging behind other countries in tackling racism.

It is the second time France has won the World Cup. Before the team's win in 1998 the far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen had criticised, external some of its players including Zinedine Zidane, who has Algerian heritage.

He had claimed many of them were "foreigners who were not singing the national anthem before matches". This year there has been a notable silence from the far right corners of the French political spectrum.

This Twitter user said he hoped France's 2018 win would help change attitudes.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 5 by Twenty8Sixty8

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 5 by Twenty8Sixty8

Top stories

  • Live. 

    Starmer tells BBC he wants to 'bring forward' target to close all asylum hotels

    • 8745 viewing8.7k viewing
  • Why Starmer wants No 10 rejig after a year in power

    • Published
      3 hours ago
  • Live. 

    More than 800 killed in Afghanistan quake, UN agency says, as rescue efforts continue

    • 3886 viewing3.9k viewing

More to explore

  • How sheer luck made this tiny Caribbean island millions from its web address

    A beach in Anguilla
  • Met Office releases new storm names for 2025-26

    • Attribution
      Weather
    Large waves crashing on Newhaven Breakwater Light at Newhaven Harbour, East Sussex
  • Peak rail fares scrapped on ScotRail trains

    A close-up image of a train ticket from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central, held in someone's hand. The ticket is orange and white.
  • Liverpool agree British record £125m fee for Isak

    • Attribution
      Sport
    Sweden striker Alexander Isak
  • China's navy is expanding at breakneck speed - and catching up with the US

    Aircraft carrier Liaoning sets for sea trial at Dalian shipyard with the help of towboats after nearly one year of maintenance on February 29, 2024 in Dalian, Liaoning Province of China.
  • 'Camilla saw off attacker with shoe' and 'Farage scare tactics'

    A composite image of the front pages of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror on 1 September 2025
  • York thrillers and underdog moments - World Cup talking points

    • Attribution
      Sport
    South Africa players celebrate
  • Canada's first lunar rover looks to future space exploration

    A computer generated image of the lunar vehicle on the surface of the Moon
  • Modi and Xi meet: Trump as the wildcard and other takeaways

    Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping smile for the cameras on stage against a shimmering blue and orange backdrop. Modi is wearing a blue vest over a white kurta with a golden pocket handkerchief, Xi is wearing a navy blue suit and a maroon tie.
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    CEO who snatched boy's hat at US Open says he made 'huge mistake'

  2. 2

    EU chief von der Leyen's plane hit by suspected Russian GPS jamming

  3. 3

    Why Starmer wants No 10 rejig after a year in power

  4. 4

    House price growth slows amid property tax calls

  5. 5

    Putin says he reached 'understandings' with Trump over end of Ukraine war

  6. 6

    I chose my Caesarean date to be eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare

  7. 7

    How sheer luck made this tiny Caribbean island millions from its web address

  8. 8

    Children at risk of identity theft and fraud from 'sharenting'

  9. 9

    Is a UK heatwave in the weather forecast for September?

    • Attribution
      Weather
  10. 10

    'Weight loss jabs gave me my life back'

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

The Big Cases

  • The biggest crime stories and court cases in the UK

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    The Big Cases
  • The travel agent who conned hundreds of holidaymakers

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    The Big Cases: Sunshine Scammer
  • Unmasking a US fugitive 'who faked his own death'

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    The Big Cases: Unmasking a Fugitive
  • The events behind a nationwide manhunt that ended in tragedy

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    The Big Cases: The Aristocrat, the Convict and the Missing Baby
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.