After the racist and Islamophobic chants broke out during the Spain-Egypt match, everyone was watching to see how Spanish football would react. It was a heavy moment because Lamine Yamal was right there on the pitch while it was happening. As a Spanish player who is also Muslim, facing that kind of hate while representing his own country was heavy on the player.
During the match, sections of the crowd broke into chants including “el que no bote es musulmán” (whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim), a chant often used in stadiums as a generic crowd song but in this context clearly linked to religion and perceived as offensive.
Although some fans may have used it without direct intent to target individuals, its repetition and timing during an international match, combined with earlier booing of Egypt’s anthem, created a heinous atmosphere.
It was this atmosphere that Yamal later responded to directly on social media. In his Instagram post, Yamal explained that he understood the chant was not specifically directed at him, but still rejected it on principle: “I am Muslim, alhamdulillah… I know it wasn’t something personal against me, but as a Muslim, it is still a form of disrespect and something unacceptable…”
He also wrote that football is really about having fun and being respectful, not taking shots at anyone’s beliefs. And he shared some love for the fans who were there to support the team.
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Unsurprisingly, the strongest reaction came from Barcelona’s environment, where Yamal is surrounded by teammates who know him closely.
Players like Pau Cubarsí, Marc Bernal, Marc Casadó, and Fermín López were among the first to show support. They were joined by more experienced Barça figures such as Íñigo Martínez, Alejandro Balde, Eric García, and Gerard Martín.
Even club legend Carles Puyol added symbolic support, reinforcing the idea that Yamal is seen as part of the long Masia lineage.
Support also spread across the Spain national team group.
Nico Williams stood out as one of his closest allies, reflecting their strong on-pitch connection. He was joined by Dani Olmo, Marc Cucurella, Mikel Oyarzabal, Pedro Porro, Pablo Gavi, and Borja Iglesias.
Players such as Joan García and David Raya also engaged, alongside Alejandro Grimaldo, Carlos Soler, and Yeremy Pino.
The response to Yamal’s post went beyond Spain. Former Ivory Coast and Chelsea star striker Didier Drogba was among those who reacted, commenting: “Be proud of your culture and who you are ALWAYS.”
Support also came from the Atlas Lions. Players like Achraf Hakimi and Bilal El Khannouss publicly showed backing, with messages such as “Muslim and proud.”
Others, including İlkay Gündoğan and Adama Traoré, reacted with supportive emojis, reinforcing the wider sense of solidarity.
The silent group
Some players did not publicly react to the post or incident, including Marcos Llorente, Dean Huijsen, Gerard Piqué, Pedri, Ferran Torres, and Víctor Muñoz.
In most cases, silence does not equal disagreement. It is true that some players avoid social media reactions entirely, while others prefer private support over public statements.
Still, in moments, this visible and grave public reaction often becomes part of the story itself.
