Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa has asserted his belief that Spain is not a racist country overall, despite recent Islamophobic chants heard during Spain’s friendly match against Egypt. The chant, ‘Whomever doesn’t jump is Muslim,’ resonated widely at the RCDE Stadium, becoming a significant news item and prompting an investigation by Catalan police.
This incident overshadowed Spain’s second-to-last home game before the World Cup. It saw Lamine Yamal leave the pitch alone, while his teammates conducted a lap of honour. The day after, Yamal himself issued a statement condemning the chants as ‘intolerable’ and ‘racist’.
Arbeloa: Spain is Not a Racist Country
Addressing the incident that dominated discussions throughout the week, the Real Madrid manager was pressed for his views. While Arbeloa called upon UEFA to take action against Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for his racial abuse of Vinicius Junior, he largely downplayed the domestic issue in Spain, noting the distinction between fan chants and player-on-player abuse. Arbeloa stated, “I believe Spain is not a racist country. If it were, we’d encounter problems every weekend. We need to eradicate certain behaviors, things I cannot personally change. But I will continue to defend this. Spain must persist in its fight to eradicate these kinds of attitudes, but we are a great, very tolerant country. We shouldn’t generalize, but we must continue with the same struggle and strength.”
Spain Fears 2030 World Cup Bid Could Be Impacted
The assertion that ‘Spain is not a racist country’ has been a common refrain following various La Liga incidents. However, this past week has seen heightened media attention on what increasingly appears to be a systemic issue. The accumulation of repeated incidents, particularly the abuse directed at one of Spain’s own players on home turf, seems to have underscored the gravity of the problem.
Amid reports of FIFA’s growing concern over these successive incidents in Spanish stadiums, there is apprehension that the governing body might consider awarding the 2030 World Cup final to Morocco. Spain is currently vying with its southern neighbor to host this prestigious event.
