Munir, the father of Spain international Lamine Yamal, commented on the regrettable chants heard during the friendly match between La Roja and Egypt, stressing the need to respect all religions.
The match, which ended in a goalless draw between the two sides on Tuesday at the Espanyol stadium, saw Spanish fans chanting offensive slogans against Muslims, repeating on several occasions during the match: “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim.”
All official Spanish bodies condemned this behaviour, including the Spanish Football Federation, the Ministry of Sport, and others.
During a live broadcast on his Instagram account whilst cooking, Munir delivered a calm message following the events at the RCDE Stadium, saying, “Long live Spain, long live Muslims, Christians and Jews, and long live everyone equally… what’s your problem?”
Lamine Yamal’s father concluded his remarks with a clear message: “If you show respect, you will be respected,” in a reference that carries an explicit call for tolerance and coexistence.
His son Lamine also expressed his stance via his Instagram account yesterday, Wednesday, saying: “I am a Muslim, praise be to God. Yesterday, I heard chants in the stadium saying: ‘Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim’. I know they were directed at the opposing team and not at me personally, but as a Muslim, that is considered disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour.”