Lamine Yamal slams Spain fans for 'ignorant and racist' anti-Muslim chant

Tom Weber

• 1 Apr 2026 08:47 CDT
• 6 min read

News

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal has hit back at fans of the Spanish national team after an anti-Muslim chant rang around the stadium during Tuesday's clash with Egypt.

The reigning European champions hosted The Pharaohs in a fairly uneventful game in Espanyol's RCDE Stadium, playing out a bland 0-0 draw. Egypt defender Hamdy Fathy was sent off in the 84th minute, but it did not affect the result.

The match was ultimately overshadowed by what happened in the stands. On at least three occasions - within the first 10 minutes, later in the first half and shortly after half-time - an anti-Muslim chant was heard in the stadium.

Spain supporters chanted "bote, bote, bote musulman el que no bote" (jump, jump, jump, whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim). This chant is often heard at Spain games, but it usually targets the opposing national team rather than a religion.

The supporters, who also chanted that Gibraltar belongs to Spain, were twice urged to stop, but the message from the stadium's loudspeaker system was met with whistles. The chant was condemned by several La Roja players and coach Luis de la Fuente after the game.

Spain players respond

"We, as players, have been shocked by the chants too," midfielder Pedri said. "We don’t agree to any sort of racist chant. We did not expect it. We all have to work together to stop this from happening in stadiums."

Goalkeeper Joan Garcia echoed this statement, saying: "Any discriminatory message against anything - we are absolutely against it. I have heard the chants and the message from the FA on the speakers."

"It is just not tolerable," De la Fuente added. "I don’t fully know all the protocols in that subject. I have seen the message the FA put on the screens in the stadium. I think the vast majority of the stadium booed and whistled all the boors who sang this.

"Football is not violent. The violent people use football to have their moment. To those violent people, we need to identify them and put them apart from society. The farther away they are, the better."

Yamal condemns "ignorant and racist" chant

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, a practising Muslim, has now taken to social media to also condemn the chants. "I am Muslim, Alhamdulillah," the 18-year-old wrote.

"Yesterday at the stadium, the chant of 'whoever doesn't jump is a Muslim' was heard. I know it was aimed at the rival team, and it wasn't something personal against me, but as a Muslim, it doesn't stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.

"I understand that not all fanatics are like this, but to those who sing these things: using religion as mockery makes you ignorant and racist people. Football is about enjoyment and encouragement, not disrespecting people for who they are or what they believe in.

"With that being said, thank you to the people who came to cheer us on. See you at the World Cup."

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