Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has spoken out against “intolerable” Islamophobic and xenophobic chants directed by Spain supporters during a recent pre-World Cup friendly against Egypt. The incident, which took place in Barcelona, is now under formal police investigation.
During the 0-0 draw at the RCDE Stadium, sections of the Spanish crowd were heard chanting, “who doesn’t jump is a Muslim.” The hostile atmosphere began even before kickoff, with Egypt’s national anthem being loudly jeered by the home supporters. Despite multiple appeals over the stadium’s PA system and anti-discrimination messages displayed on the big screens, the offensive behavior persisted.
Lamine Yamal Responds to the Abuse
Following the match, the Barcelona star took to Instagram to express his disgust over the incident. While acknowledging that the abuse wasn’t directly aimed at him, Yamal emphasized the deep disrespect it showed to the Muslim community.
“It was aimed at the opposing team and was not something personal against me, but as a Muslim, it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable,” Yamal wrote. “To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist.”
Authorities and Officials Condemn the Chants
The behavior of the fans has drawn widespread condemnation from both sporting and political figures across Spain.
Catalonia’s regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, have officially launched an investigation into the Islamophobic chants. Meanwhile, Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, was quick to distance the team from the actions of the crowd.
“I feel total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitudes. They are intolerable,” De la Fuente stated in the aftermath of the game.
Spain’s Justice Minister, Félix Bolaños, also addressed the incident on social media platform X, stating: “Racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society. The far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit.”
A Tense Pre-World Cup Friendly
The match against Egypt, a majority-Muslim nation, was originally scheduled to be played in Qatar. However, the venue was relocated to Barcelona due to the ongoing regional conflicts involving Iran. The incident raises significant concerns as Spain prepares for the 2026 World Cup, where their group stage opponents include another majority-Muslim nation, Saudi Arabia.
As the investigation continues, football authorities will be under pressure to ensure that such xenophobic behavior is stamped out ahead of the global tournament.
