Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has revealed that he has experienced racism “a thousand times”, saying many people make racist comments or behave in offensive ways without realising it.
The 19-year-old Spanish international made the disclosure during an interview with former Argentina international Jorge Valdano for Spanish broadcaster Movistar.
Asked whether he had directly experienced racism, Yamal replied, “A thousand times.”
“People are indirectly racist towards you, but maybe don’t realise it. There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist and they don’t even notice,” he said.
Yamal also reflected on the racist abuse he and Barcelona teammate Raphinha were subjected to during a La Liga El Clasico against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in October 2024.
Footage from the match appeared to show sections of the crowd directing racist and xenophobic insults at the players.
Speaking about such incidents, Yamal said being identified by his race does not itself offend him, but he objects when such references are made with the intention of insulting him.
“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.
“Another thing is whether it’s good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.”
The comments come as concerns over racism in Spanish football remain a major issue. A Spanish government observatory reported earlier this year that Yamal and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain during the final quarter of 2025.
Yamal, who has risen to global prominence since making his Barcelona debut as a teenager, has continued to speak openly about racism and his experiences both on and off the pitch.
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