Lamine Yamal has criticised chants by Spain supporters during a friendly against Egypt in Barcelona, which police are investigating for Islamophobia and xenophobia. The Spain fans chanted “who doesn’t jump is a Muslim”, prompting the Barcelona winger to respond on Instagram.
Yamal wrote that the chanting “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. To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist.”
Catalonia’s regional police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, are investigating the chants, which have been widely condemned. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said: “I feel total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitudes. They are intolerable.” Spain’s justice minister, Félix Bolaños, posted on X: “Racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society.”
Egypt’s national anthem was jeered before the 0-0 draw in a pre-World Cup friendly. Authorities at the RCDE Stadium appealed to fans over the PA system to refrain from offensive comments, and an anti-discrimination message was displayed on screen.
