Spain coach Luis de la Fuente joined 18-year-old Muslim player Lamine Yamal in condemning islamophobic chants by some fans during Spain's 0-0 draw with Egypt at RCDE Stadium, calling the behaviour intolerable. This follows revelations that fan group 'Barcelona con la selección' bought nearly 1,900 tickets in the sectors where the chants originated, prompting a police hate crime probe.
The chants, including 'jump, jump, whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim', erupted around the 10th minute and later during the April 1 friendly in Cornellà de Llobregat, spreading despite stadium announcements urging fans to stop. The Spanish Football Federation condemned them, while Mossos d'Esquadra are investigating potential hate crimes alongside prosecutors.
Yamal, a FC Barcelona and Spain winger, posted on Instagram: 'I am a Muslim, thank God. [...] using religion as something to mock people [...] leaves you as ignorant and racist people. Football is to enjoy and support, not to offend people by who they are or what they believe in.' He thanked supportive fans ahead of the World Cup.
De la Fuente said: 'It is just not tolerable. [...] To those violent people, we need to identify them and put them apart from society. The further away they are the better.' He noted most fans booed the chanters.
