Lamine Yamal attacked by Israeli media and politicians

Muslim footballer Lamine Yamal raising the Palestinian flag during celebrations after Barcelona won the Spanish league title has sparked a wave of outrage and incitement in the Israeli media.

Yamal, 18, stole the spotlight during Barcelona’s La Liga victory parade on an open-top bus after he appeared waving the Palestine flag.

However, Israeli media outlets, as well as politicians and activists, were quick to attack the Spanish player, claiming that his display of the Palestinian flag carried “political messages” during a sporting event.

Lamine Yamal condemns ignorance and racism

Israel’s Channel 12 said that Yamal “exploited the soccer event to express his political stance”. He highlighted how Barcelona players celebrated with the club’s scarves while the young player chose to celebrate with the Palestinian flag.

Daily newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, noted that this is not the first time Yamal has expressed his support for Palestine. He made remarks following a match between Egypt and Spain, when he criticised chants from fans that the newspaper described as “offensive to Muslims”.

Yamal had said at the time:

Praise be to God, I am a Muslim, and I believe that using religion for mockery on soccer fields is a sign of ignorance and racism because soccer was created for enjoyment and empathy, not to hurt people because of their beliefs.

The Hebrew website, Walla, adopted the same narrative, arguing that the player “exploited the sporting event to express a political stance”. Meanwhile, the sports website, Sport 5, merely noted that Yamal is Muslim and of Moroccan descent.

In contrast, the Hebrew website ICE went further, stating that the player “chose to oppose Israel when he raised the Palestinian flag in front of the world”, describing the moment as “one of the most controversial scenes in Barcelona’s celebrations”.

Israeli minister attacks Yamal

The campaign of attacks extended to politics after Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, launched a sharp attack on the Barcelona star.

He said:

Someone needs to explain to soccer player Lamine Yamal that he is raising the flag of a non-existent entity.

Then added:

Anyone who chooses to identify with the flag of terrorism should not be surprised by Israelis’ hatred toward him.

The attack was not limited to Ben-Gvir, as Israeli journalists and activists joined the campaign of criticism against the teenage player. Some comments even wished for him to get injured and miss the 2026 World Cup.

Despite the controversy, Yamal continued celebrating with Barcelona fans, emphasising during the parade the importance of the bond between the team and its supporters.

He said:

It’s unbelievable. The fans are always with us on important days and difficult days — this is the club of our lives.

The young star also stressed the need to appreciate every title the team wins, before expressing his dream of winning the Champions League and celebrating it with fans in the streets of Barcelona.

Winning isn’t easy. We’ve gone through tough years, but now we’re enjoying the moment.

Featured image via Josep Lago/ AFP

By Alaa Shamali

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