MADRID (AP) — First came the racist abuse against Vinícius Júnior. Then the unwanted kiss by the nation's top soccer official. And now Spain is dealing with the fallout of anti-Muslim chants during a friendly match against Egypt.
Success on the pitch for both Spain’s women and men’s teams has been partially overshadowed in recent years by incidents of racism, sexism and xenophobia.
As the World Cup approaches, concerns have been raised about whether meaningful cultural change is happening in Spain, one of the title favorites.
“It’s not a very good image for Spain right now, but we can’t mistake these acts by minority groups, usually the ultra groups, with the actions of the majority of fans in Spain,” said Esteban Ibarra, head of the Madrid-based Movement Against Intolerance, Racism and Xenophobia.
Spain is one of the co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, and cleaning up its image abroad is seen as a priority. The Spanish government and local soccer officials have been working hard to dismiss the notion that Spain is a racist country.
They have called recent incidents in soccer — including the anti-Muslim chants last month — isolated cases that can be blamed mostly on the actions of a minority of radical fans.
“The first thing we must bear in mind is that these acts, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms, have been perpetrated by a group of people who in no way represent the vast majority of Spanish soccer fans,” Spain's Higher Council for Sports, the nation's top sports authority, told The Associated Press in a statement.
“The chants were deplorable and cannot be repeated," it said. "We are confident that the Spanish men and women attending the World Cup this summer will support our team with passion and always with respect.”
Spain was drawn into a World Cup group that includes Saudi Arabia, an overwhelmingly Muslim country.
It was in the March 31 friendly against Egypt — another predominantly Muslim nation — that a group of Spanish fans sang the anti-Muslim chants that made headlines worldwide. They also jeered Egypt's national anthem in the match in Barcelona.
“These actions are entirely unacceptable in football stadiums and represent a negative phenomenon that must be collectively addressed and eradicated,” the Egyptian Football Association said.
The chants happened despite the presence of Spain star forward Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim. On the next day, he called the chants disrespectful and intolerable, and said it didn’t matter that they were not directed at him personally.
“I understand that not all fans are like that, but to those who chant these things: Using a religion as a taunt on the field makes you look ignorant and racist,” the 18-year-old Yamal said. “Football is for enjoying and cheering, not for disrespecting people for who they are or what they believe.”
Spanish police opened an investigation into the behavior of the fans during the game, and FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish soccer federation.
The Spanish federation has used the popularity of Yamal as an example of how the recent incidents don’t represent the nation’s fanbase as a whole. It noted that Yamal's shirt is the best-selling Spain jersey and that he is the most sought-after player everywhere the team goes.
The federation also noted several actions and campaigns that have been taking place in Spain, with the participation of the government and other soccer entities, against intolerance and discrimination in sports.
Spain was widely criticized for its lack of action against racism in soccer after Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinícius said he was racially abused in a Spanish league game in Valencia in 2023. Vinícius, who is Black, said at the time that the Spanish league “now belongs to racists” and Spain “is seen as a racist country.”
He has since nuanced his description of Spain, but continues to speak up against racism in the sport.
“I’m not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well,” Vinícius said after praising Yamal for his condemnation of the anti-Muslim chants last month. “But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won’t have to go through this again.”
There was widespread support for Vinícius after the 2023 match in which he threatened to leave the field in Valencia after a few members of ultra groups called him “monkey.”