Lamine Yamal says many people are unaware that their comments or behaviour are racist

Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal has revealed that he has experienced racism “a thousand times” during his life and football career, highlighting the discrimination he has faced during his rapid rise to the top of the game.

The 19-year-old winger has been subjected to racial abuse on several occasions since breaking into Barcelona’s first team and becoming one of football’s most prominent young players.

One high-profile incident occurred during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in October 2024, when footage circulated showing Yamal, Raphinha and Ansu Fati being subjected to racist abuse from sections of the crowd.

Yamal recently spoke openly about his experiences during an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar. Former Argentina international Jorge Valdano asked him whether he had personally experienced racism.

“A thousand times,” Yamal replied.

The Barcelona star explained that racism is not always expressed through openly offensive language. According to Yamal, people can sometimes make racist comments or behave in racist ways without recognising what they are doing.

“People are indirectly racist toward you, but maybe don’t realise it,” Yamal said. “There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist and they don’t even notice.”

Yamal also discussed how he responds when people refer to him by the colour of his skin.

“If someone calls me Black, it’s not going to bother me at all. Ultimately, I’m Black, I’m not any other colour,” he said.

However, he stressed that the intention behind such comments is important, particularly when they are made to insult or offend.

The teenager also suggested that he tries not to allow abuse from spectators to distract him while playing.

“If I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me,” he said.

Yamal’s comments come amid continued efforts by Spanish football authorities to tackle racism and discrimination in stadiums. LaLiga has increased its focus on combating racist abuse following several high-profile incidents involving players in recent years.

In a bulletin published in March, the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia reported that Yamal and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. were among the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain during the final quarter of 2025.

Yamal’s comments have once again brought attention to the issue of racism in football and the challenges faced by players from diverse backgrounds, both on the pitch and online.