Yamal says ‘I am Muslim, Alhamdulillah’ after being booed by fans

Young star Lamin Yamal has expressed his anger over the anti-Muslim chants surrounding the goalless friendly match between Spain and Egypt. The incident took place at Barcelona’s RCDE Stadium, where local police have already launched an investigation.
Anti-Muslim chants and chants could be heard from the stands during the first half of the match. Although it was not directed at Yamal directly, as a devout Muslim, the incident deeply affected him. Yamal wrote on social media, ‘I am Muslim, Alhamdulillah. ‘If you don’t jump, you are Muslim’ – such chants were being chanted in the stadium. Although it was not directed at me personally, as a Muslim it is disrespectful and completely unacceptable.’
He added, ‘Football is a game of joy – a place to show support, not to mock someone’s religion or beliefs.’ Such behaviour is a sign of ignorance and racism. Although born in Barcelona, ​​Yamal, whose father is Moroccan and mother is from Equatorial Guinea, has been playing for Spain since he was a child. At just 18, he has become one of the team’s key players and played a major role in winning the last European tournament.
Barni Álvarez, the Catalan sports minister, said Yamal had been psychologically affected by the incident and would be given all possible support. “It is a very shameful and serious incident. We strongly condemn it. This type of behaviour seems to be planned.” Barcelona’s local police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, said they were investigating the Islamophobic and xenophobic slogans.
Meanwhile, world football’s governing body FIFA is also reviewing the match reports. It is said that necessary measures will be taken after analyzing the referees, match inspectors, security teams and video footage. As a result, the possibility of disciplinary action against Spain cannot be ruled out.
During the match, fans also booed during the Egyptian national anthem. Later, some Egyptian players were booed again when they fell to the ground. Although screens and announcements in the stadium during the break called on fans to stop such behavior, it did not completely stop.
The Egyptian Football Association condemned the incident. They called it “disgusting racist behavior” and said, “Such behavior has no place in football. It is a negative trend that must be eradicated by all.”
Sports Minister Alvarez also expressed anger at the delayed response of the relevant organizations organizing the match. He said that action should have been taken after the first chant and the game should have been stopped if necessary. Barcelona’s club Espanyol also strongly condemned the incident in a statement, saying, “Such racist behavior goes against the values ​​of the game and is completely unacceptable.”