The footballers from Primera Liga side FC Sevilla are the latest to protest against Spanish sports stars being depicted as doping frauds.

On Monday their shirts bore the logo ‘liberty, equality and superiority’ during the league match with Real Sociedad.

The logo is a dig at France’s national motto, with the Spaniards substituting ‘superiority’ for ‘fraternity’ on their shirts during the league match with Real Sociedad, in the latest offering in the bitter war of words between France and Spain.

The Spanish have been angry since French satirical puppet show Les Guignols implied tennis great Rafael Nadal and other athletes are drug cheats following the two year ban imposed on two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador for doping last week.

Sevilla issued a statement explaining why they had allowed their players to take to the pitch with the slogan on their shirts.

“This is to show our support for all sportsmen in the country,” the club said.

“We also wanted to take the movement a step further in our resolute defence of the Spanish sporting world.”

The sketches on French TV prompted the Spanish foreign minister to order a formal protest to French media.

One sketch featured a puppet likeness of world number two Nadal refuelling the tank of his car from his own bladder, a fill-up which powers up the car and leads to him being pulled over by police.

In another, a satirical ad asks people to donate blood to Contador and thus share in the glory of his cycling victories.