Yamal slams anti-Muslim fan chants as Spain’s World Cup final hopes tainted

Madrid, Spain – Spain’s hopes of hosting the 2030 World Cup final were dealt a blow after racist chants marred what should have been a friendly match against Egypt. The Spanish are to cohost the next edition of world football’s showpiece event with Morocco and Portugal, but the destination of the final has still to be decided by FIFA, the game’s global governing body. Fancied as possible winners of this year’s World Cup in the Americas, Spain’s performance on the pitch on Tuesday was instead overshadowed by events off the pitch.

Spanish police have launched an investigation into “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants which rang out twice during the 0-0 draw in Barcelona on Tuesday. Authorities issued a warning on the public address system, then showed a video sign saying racist chants contravened the law, but these were jeered by sections of the fans. A section of supporters had chanted: “Whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim” – a derogatory chant.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent, who was at the match, listened as Egypt’s national anthem also received a barrage of whistles before what was supposed to be a friendly game started. It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker Vinicius Junior another high-profile victim of racial abuse in recent years. Lamine Yamal, Spain’s star winger, a Muslim whose father moved from Morocco to Spain, issued a damning statement on Instagram in the wake of the row.

“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard,” he posted. “I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.