Spain were held to a tense 0–0 draw by Egypt, and it was during that match that local fans were heard fervently chanting, “whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim.” Lamine Yamal, a global star and a practicing Muslim, later addressed the incident on his Instagram account.
“I am Muslim,” he started. “Yesterday at the stadium, the chant ‘whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim’ could be heard. I understand it was aimed at the opposing team and not something personal against me, but as a Muslim, it is still a sign of disrespect and something unacceptable.”
He also stated that he is firmly opposed to any chants with racist undertones. “I understand that not all fans are like this, but to those who chant these things: using a religion as a punchline in a stadium makes you look ignorant and racist. Soccer is meant to be enjoyed and to support your team—not to disrespect people for who they are or what they believe.”
The fallout from his remarks was immediate. Players of the caliber of Alejandro Balde and Marc Bernal—both teammates of Yamal at Barcelona—voiced their support for his stance.
Spain fans show support.
Spain set their sights on the World Cup
After wrapping up their two international friendlies, all eyes now turn to the World Cup. Spain secured a 3–0 victory over Serbia prior to their aforementioned clash with Egypt.
The Spain national football team, led by Luis de la Fuente, will be the top seed in Group H. There, it is set to face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
- vs Cape Verde, June 15th (Atlanta)
- vs Saudi Arabia, June 21st (Atlanta)
- vs Uruguay, June 26th (Guadalajara)
