Africans, not France are the real World Cup winners – Venezuela President, Nicolas says

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro believes Africa and not France are the true winners of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

France beat Croatia 4-2 in Sunday’s final in Moscow, but with a team featuring quite number of players with African heritage.


“The French team seems like the African team, in reality Africa won, the African immigrants who arrived in France,” Maduro said at an event to celebrate police day in Venezuela on Monday

“How much have they despised Africa, and in the football World Cup, France won the trophy thanks to African players or the sons of Africans”


“There is enough racism in Europe against Africans, enough discrimination against migrants”

“Hopefully France and Europe will appreciate that us, southerners, Africans, Latin Americans, are worthy and powerful,” the Venezuelan leader said.


Two of France’s goalscorers against Croatia have African roots: Paul Pogba’s parents are from Guinea while Kylian Mbappe’s parents are Cameroonian and Algerian.

Of the players who started in the final, Samuel Umtiti was born in Cameroon, Blaise Matuidi’s parents are Angolan and Congolese, N’Golo Kante’s parents are Malian while Raphael Varane’s father is from the Caribbean island of Martinique.

Of the 23-man squad, 16 have African roots of some sort.