Overview
- Fans at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona booed Egypt’s anthem and, during Tuesday’s match, chanted “bote, bote, bote musulman el que no bote,” a taunt that means “whoever does not jump is a Muslim.”
- Lamine Yamal, 18, posted “I am Muslim, Alhamdulillah” on Instagram and called the chants disrespectful and unbearable, and he left the field later looking shaken.
- Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente, Justice Minister Félix Bolaños, and the national federation condemned the abuse, and stadium screens and loudspeakers warned that discriminatory acts are forbidden.
- The Mossos d’Esquadra opened an investigation to identify those involved, a step that could lead to fines or stadium bans under Spain’s sports violence laws.
- The friendly had been moved from Qatar to Barcelona for security reasons tied to the Middle East war, and the incident has renewed debate in Spain over hate speech and far-right activity at football matches.