Spain’s Justice Minister Condemns Incident, Saying “Racist Insults and Chants Embarrass Us as a Society”
Spanish police announced on Wednesday that they are investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international friendly in Barcelona, which the government said “embarrass us as a society.”
The incident occurred during the 0-0 match on Tuesday at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium, where Egypt’s national anthem was also jeered. Stadium authorities reportedly appealed multiple times over the public announcement system for fans to refrain from offensive comments.
This episode adds to a series of similar incidents that have marred Spanish football in recent years, including repeated racial abuse of Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior.
Catalonia’s regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, confirmed on X that they are investigating the chants, during which a group of supporters shouted: “Whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim.”
One of Spain’s starting players in Tuesday’s match, forward Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, who is Muslim, condemned the chants as “a lack of respect and something intolerable.”
“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist,” he wrote on Instagram.
Spain’s Justice Minister Felix Bolanos also condemned the incident, saying, “Racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society.” He added on X: “The far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit.”
The Spanish Football Federation joined in condemning the chants, along with most major political parties.
However, Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, reposted a photo from the match showing fans waving red and yellow Spanish flags with the caption: “Proud fans, proud country. When Spain plays, there’s no room for doubts or division.”
The Barcelona match, relocated from Qatar due to the Middle East conflict, faced a hostile atmosphere from the outset.
A message urging fans to stop xenophobic chants and offensive remarks was displayed on the stadium screen at half-time and read aloud by the announcer. The reminder was repeated early in the second half, prompting some sections of the 35,000-strong crowd to respond with whistles.
“I don’t know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the screen and make the announcement,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente after the match, describing the chants as “intolerable.”
“Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible,” added the 64-year-old coach.
First Conviction
Spain has faced ongoing challenges in combating racism at football matches.
Vinicius Junior has been a frequent target since joining Real Madrid in 2018 from Flamengo. High-profile incidents include Atletico Madrid fans hanging an effigy of Vinicius near Real Madrid’s training ground in January 2023.
In 2025, five Real Valladolid supporters who racially abused Vinicius during a 2022 match were convicted of committing a hate crime — the first such ruling in Spain related to stadium insults. Other incidents have continued, including Albacete fans performing a racist chant outside their stadium before eliminating Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey in January.
The Spain-Egypt friendly served as a warm-up match for the 2026 World Cup, with both teams qualified for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Spain, in Group H, will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, while Egypt, in Group G, is scheduled to play Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran.
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