News Focus
- Lamine Yamal raised a Palestine flag during Barcelona’s open-top bus parade to celebrate their La Liga trophy.
- The 18-year-old wore a t-shirt with the message “Thank God I am not a Madridista” in Spanish.
- Yamal missed the final El Clásico match against Real Madrid due to an injury problem.
- Earlier on the same day, he posted “talk is cheap” on social media, widely seen as a response to Jude Bellingham.
- Former La Masia graduate Ilias Akhomach also displayed a Palestine flag during Rayo Vallecano celebrations recently.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal ensured he remained the centre of attention as Barcelona celebrated their La Liga triumph on Sunday. The 18-year-old forward, who sat out the final defeat of Real Madrid because of an ankle injury, made a bold statement during the team’s victory parade through the streets of Catalonia.
The Spain international waved a Palestine flag from the open-top team bus as it travelled from Camp Nou towards the city centre. This display follows growing support for the Palestinian cause among several high-profile football figures in Spain over the past twelve months.
Yamal also directed a message at Barcelona’s fiercest rivals. He sported a white t-shirt bearing the Spanish phrase “Gracias a Dios no soy Madridista”. This translates to “Thank God I am not a Real Madrid supporter”, a gesture certain to intensify the rivalry ahead of next season’s meetings.
The winger’s actions capped off a day of provocative social media activity. Earlier, he had shared a video celebrating Ferran Torres’ strike against Real Madrid with the caption “talk is cheap”. Supporters widely interpreted this as a direct reply to an earlier online post from Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Yamal follows in the footsteps of another former Barcelona academy product. Ilias Akhomach, currently on loan at Rayo Vallecano from Villarreal, also pulled a Palestine flag from the crowd and waved it during celebrations for Rayo’s Conference League victory last week.