2018 World Cup: Did immigration contribute to the success of France, Belgium and England?

There is a common denominator between three of the four teams qualified for the World Cup semi-finals.

The teams of France, Belgium and England have a large number of players born to parents or mothers of immigrants.

The figures show that 16 of the 23 players representing France at the World Cup were at least one of their parents born outside France. Two others were born on the French islands of the Caribbean Sea, part of French territory.

Statistics also show that 11 players in Belgium and six in England were at least one of their parents.

• 2018 World Cup: How did Belgium and Croatia qualify for the semi-finals?

This cultural diversity in the French team was not new.

The winner of the 1998 World Cup, the only title in the world for the French duke, is considered a symbol of the success of integration into French society, nicknamed "Rainbow Team".

Because of this cultural diversity, many other countries are competing for the World Cup title.

The same goes for Belgium, which has 11 players and at least one of his parents, including Romello Lucaco and Vincent Kompany – their parents in Congo – and the father of Lukako in the name of Zaire in the mid-90s.

This is a very different picture of the Belgium team at the 2002 World Cup and only two players of non-Belgian origin were included.

The 2018 World Cup takes place in a deep political, social and cultural divide in Belgium, which comprises two regions and two official languages: Wallonia (French) and Flanders (Flemish).

The Belgian team includes players from both regions and Spain, which is a symbol of unity.

A Belgian fan, Jan Artesen, told the BBC before the match that Belgium had won against Brazil: "I'm not at the World Cup to talk about politics." The tournament is an opportunity to celebrate as nation and to encourage a team representing all aspects of Belgian society. "

He laughed:" Secessionists do not realize that this will significantly weaken the national team. "

England also has a large number of immigrants.

England coach Gareth Southgate won an unexpected World Cup success with a team of six players and at least one of their parents emigrated to the UK.

Southgate said: "We are a team with diversity and a young age in England." We spent some time in England, unable to define our exact identity, and of course my performances will be evaluated based on football results in the first place. But we have a chance to influence other things even more. "

But experts in ethnic relations advise caution. "There is a diversity of three teams from the four teams," warns Piara Bauer, founder of Fair, a European organization against racism, according to which teams of diverse backgrounds have not yet been able to compete. lasting impact on people. The semifinal of the World Cup is a very symbolic moment, but the experience shows that the positive factor continues for a few months and we are already seeing a player from an ethnic minority of the team from England, Rahim Stirling, alone in every game. "

" I do not know if Stirling would be a scapegoat if England was defeated in the semi-finals, what happened with the Turkish-born player Mbadoud Ozil when the Germany is out of the World Cup. "