La Liga: Spanish Police Detain Fan For Racially Abusing Kylian Mbappe During Oviedo Vs Real Madrid

Spanish police have detained a fan accused of racially abusing Kylian Mbappe during a Spanish La Liga match last month. These insults took place late in the first half of Real Madrid's 3-0 victory against Oviedo on August 24, shortly after Mbappe scored his first goal. Authorities confirmed the detention on Wednesday, September 10, after investigating an official complaint lodged by the Spanish league.

Police stated they took the fan into custody on Wednesday after identifying them through an investigation prompted by an official complaint from the Spanish league. Authorities have not publicly identified the fan. Police accuse the fan of making 'monkey gestures' and sounds targeting Mbappe.

Broader Issues Of Racism In Spanish Football

Spanish football has faced numerous racist insults targeting black players in recent years. Last week, authorities accused an Espanyol fan of racially insulting Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams during a Spanish league match five years ago. The fan accepted a deal, thus avoiding prison time.

In May, prosecutors charged five Real Valladolid fans who racially insulted Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior in 2022. A court found them guilty in Spain's first ruling that condemned racist insults in a stadium as a 'hate crime'.

Last year, a court sentenced three Valencia fans to eight-month prison terms after they pleaded guilty to racially insulting Vinicius. This marked the first direct conviction for racism in professional Spanish football, though these were not 'hate crime' cases. These incidents underline the persistent challenge of racism in the sport.

Racism is a big issue in European football in general. Schalke's Christopher Antwi-Adjei faced racist abuse during a DFB-Pokal match, while Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo was racially abused by a Liverpool fan in the English Premier League 2025-26 opener.

(With AP Inputs)