I have experienced racism a thousand times – Lamine Yamal

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal has disclosed that he has faced racism "a thousand times" due to a lack of awareness regarding offensive comments or actions. The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia revealed earlier this year that the 19-year-old and Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr were the most commonly targeted by online racist abuse in Spain during the latter half of 2025. Yamal was among the Barca players subjected to racist abuse during a match between the two teams at the Bernabeu stadium in October 2024.

In an interview with broadcaster Movistar, Yamal, who played a key role in Spain's World Cup victory in July, revealed that he experienced racism regularly throughout his career. He stated, "A thousand times. People are indirectly racist toward you, but maybe don’t realize it." Yamal explained that there are numerous comments or looks that are racist, but the perpetrators often remain oblivious to their actions.

He added, "If someone calls me Black, it’s not going to bother me at all; ultimately, I’m Black, I’m not any other color."

Yamal further addressed the intent behind the racist remarks, saying, "Another thing is whether it’s good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me." He emphasized that if he were playing a match and spectators had paid for their tickets to watch him, he wouldn't be angry simply because someone disrespected him.