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 number players of 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."
Maduro nonetheless congratulated the team for the "beautiful" way they played and paid tribute to his ally and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for putting on "the best World Cup in the history of football."
"Hopefully France and Europe will appreciate that us, southerners, Africans, Latin Americans, are worthy and powerful."