Summary of this article
Spain drew 0-0 with Egypt in Barcelona, but the match was overshadowed by anti‑Muslim chants from home supporters
Fans chanted “Musulmán el que no bote” and whistled during Egypt’s anthem and Islamic gestures at half-time
The Royal Spanish Football Federation and coach Luis de la Fuente condemned the chants
Spain’s international friendly against Egypt on Tuesday was overshadowed by repeated anti-Muslim chants from sections of the home crowd during the goalless draw in Barcelona.
Spanish fans at the RCDE Stadium were heard chanting “Musulmán el que no bote” – “If you’re not jumping, you’re a Muslim” – throughout the first half. Egypt’s national anthem was also met with loud whistling.
There were multiple warnings from the authorities, with a message shown on the big screen at half-time. The stadium announcer also read the message at half-time and early in the second half, resulting in more whistles from the stands.
Further jeers were heard when Egyptian players kneeled and kissed the ground at half-time – an Islamic gesture known as “sajda” or “sujud”. Egypt is a predominantly Muslim nation, with Islam as its official state religion.
Spain’s star player, Lamine Yamal, is a practising Muslim and observes Ramadan. The Moroccan-origin player was seen leaving the stadium immediately after the full-time whistle, though he did not react to the chants.
Spanish Federation, Head Coach Condemn Chants
Both the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and head coach Luis de la Fuente condemned the incidents shortly after the match.
“The RFEF stands against racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums,” a statement from the Spanish federation read.
“I am repulsed by and absolutely reject any form of xenophobia or racism – it’s completely intolerable,” de la Fuente said. “I don’t know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the scoreboard and make the announcement.”
“Those (chanting) are a disgrace – and the majority (inside the stadium) whistled them. There’s nothing else to say,” he added. “They are not representative of football. They take advantage of football, as they do in other areas of life. They need to be removed from society – the further away, the better.”
Meanwhile, Spain will face Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Uruguay in Group H of the 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026, which starts on June 11.
What was the result of Spain vs Egypt international friendly?
Spain and Egypt played a 0-0 draw at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona on Tuesday.
What happened during the Spain vs Egypt match?
Sections of Spanish fans repeatedly chanted “Musulmán el que no bote” (“If you’re not jumping, you’re a Muslim”), while also whistling during Egypt’s national anthem.
How did Luis de la Fuente react to the chants?
Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente said he was “repulsed” by the xenophobic chants, calling them intolerable and insisting those responsible are not representative of football.
