Lamine Yamal, a Barcelona and Spain star, highlighted his faith and the “lack of respect” from Spanish supporters who screamed, “He who does not jump is a Muslim.”
The Spanish players choose to speak up and voice their displeasure with the antics of their fans. Following Pedri’s declaration to “eradicate racist chants,” it is now Lamine Yamal’s turn to speak out against the slogans chanted on Tuesday during Spain-Egypt, particularly the horrific “He who does not jump is a Muslim.”
“I am a Muslim,” the Barcelona star tweeted. “At the stadium yesterday, we heard the cry ‘He who does not leap is a Muslim.’ I understand that this was meant at the opposition team and was not a personal assault on me, but as a Muslim, it is nonetheless rude and unacceptable.”
Visibly offended, the 17-year-old footballer showed his displeasure with the supporters who had screamed the song. “I understand that not all fans are like that, but mocking a religion on a football pitch makes you appear ignorant and racist.”
Football is supposed to be fun and to support your team, not to offend people because of who they are or what they believe,” he said.
Catalan police have launched an inquiry into the “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chanting, as reported by X. The Minister of Justice, Felix Bolaños, stated that “the racist insults and chants shame us as a society.”
