SPANISH football superstar Lamine Yamal has blasted ‘racist and ignorant’ fans after shocking anti-Muslim chants rang out during an international match in Spain.
The wunderkind, 18, spoke out after supporters were heard chanting ‘if you’re not Muslim, jump’ during Spain’s clash with Egypt in Barcelona on Tuesday.
The Barcelona winger, who is Muslim, said the chants were ‘disrespectful and intolerable’ – even if they were not aimed directly at him.
“I know it wasn’t personal,” he wrote on Instagram, “but using religion to insult people shows ignorance and racism.”
He added: “I understand that not all fans are like this, but to those who chant these things: using a religion as a mockery on a pitch shows you are ignorant and racist.”
The ugly scenes unfolded during the first half of the friendly at the RCDE Stadium, with some fans joining in the chant while others responded with loud boos.
Authorities are now investigating the incident as ‘Islamophobic and xenophobic,’ while messages condemning discrimination were shown on stadium screens during the match – which ended in a goalless draw.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also weighed in, branding the incident ‘unacceptable’ and warning that a minority of fans must not tarnish the country’s image as ‘plural and tolerant.’
Football chiefs were quick to react too, with the Spanish Football Federation condemning the chants and vowing zero tolerance for racism in the game.
“The RFEF has taken a stand against racism in football and condemns any acts of violence inside stadiums,” it said in a statement on social media.
National team boss Luis de la Fuente joined the fray by slamming the behaviour as ‘intolerable’ and insisting troublemakers should be ‘removed from society.’
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