Spanish football is once again under the international spotlight for racist attitudes from fans. During the friendly match between Spain and Egypt, held at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà, chants of "Muslim whoever doesn't jump" were heard last Tuesday, coming from part of the fans.
Despite the attempts of the Spanish Football Federation to curb the behavior through public address system and announcements of respect, the shouts were repeated, forcing a part of the public to reprimand them with whistles towards the end of the match.
The forward Lamine Yamal, one of the most prominent players of the Spanish national team, reacted forcefully, leaving the field before the lap of honor and calling the chants "a lack of respect and something intolerable." On his social media, Lamine insisted: "I know it was for the rival team and it wasn't personal against me, but as a Muslim person, it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable… using a religion as a mockery on a field leaves you as ignorant and racist people."
Institutional and social reactions
The incident generated widespread rejection. Berni Álvarez, Catalan Minister of Sports, described the situation as an act of extreme right and asked to activate the anti-racist protocol of the Federation and the Generalitat.
For their part, the Mossos d'Esquadra have initiated an investigation to clarify the facts. From the club Espanyol, host of the friendly, they assured that the incident does not reflect the attitude of their fans.
"It is deeply unfair to attribute these behaviors to the Espanyol fans, who have been characterized by their plurality, respect, and commitment to the values of sport," they wrote on social media.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT #RCDE
— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) April 1, 2026
The 2030 World Cup and international pressure
The episode occurs at a critical moment, while Spain competes with Morocco to host the 2030 World Cup final. FIFA could impose sanctions on the Federation or the responsible club, even if direct fault is not proven, which puts the Spanish bid at risk.
The chants in Cornellà recall previous cases of racism in La Liga and in international friendlies. From the insults to Vinicius Jr. in Mestalla to those of Iñaki Williams in 2020, the incidents are repeated and evidence the lack of a firm and effective protocol.
Even this season, during the Elche-Espanyol match, the anti-racist protocol was activated after an alleged comment by Rafa Mir against El Hilali, which shows that the problem persists despite the measures adopted.