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The original was posted on /r/soccer by /u/Secret_Flight_2669 on 2025-11-08 15:36:43+00:00.
Over the past year, Spain’s Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia tracked hate speech on social media connected to football, and what they found is pretty disturbing. Out of more than 33,000 racist or xenophobic posts, only about a third (33%) were removed. Facebook deleted around 62% of what was reported, while X (Twitter) took down just 10%.
The main targets were football players. The one who received the most abuse was Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona star. He alone was the subject of 60% of all racist attacks in Spanish football. Vinícius Jr. came next with 29%, and others like Mbappé, Balde, Brahim Díaz, and Iñaki Williams were also targeted.
The hate was not random. It focused mostly on race and religion. The report found that: • People of North African descent were targeted in 42% of the hate posts. • Muslims made up another 41%. • Africans or Afro-descendants accounted for 14.5%, and • Unaccompanied migrant minors made up 10.5%.
Nearly 97% of the messages used violent or explicit language, often with phrases like “fing black, die” or “filthy Moor.” The most common words were “shit,” “fing,” and “black.”
The biggest spikes in hate speech happened during major matches, especially the October 2024 El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. In just two days, there were more than 6,500 hateful posts, many aimed at Yamal, Raphinha, Ansu Fati, and Vinícius. Some messages told Yamal he should “be thrown out of Spain the same way he came, in a raft.”
Most of this content came from fans of Real Madrid (34%) and Barcelona (32%), which together make up about two-thirds of all the hate speech found online. Rivalry clearly fuels the problem.
The report also noticed a surge in hate during Ramadan, when Muslim players were insulted for publicly observing their faith. Some posts called them “pigs” or “anti-patriotic.”
Philosopher Javier Gomá said that when politicians turn immigration into a political tool, that attitude spills over into sports. Spain’s Inclusion Minister Elma Saiz also admitted that the country has been too lenient about the issue. She said, “There should never be room for insults that dehumanize, especially not in sports.”
Lamine Yamal rarely speaks about the racism he faces. People close to him say he has learned to ignore it or even joke about it, although his family feels it more deeply. One example was when former player Mono Burgos, now a commentator, said that if football did not work out for Yamal he would “end up at a traffic light.” His parents were heartbroken, but Yamal later defended Burgos, saying, “He meant to praise me, he just could not find the right words.”
The report concludes that racism remains deeply rooted in football. It reflects wider social tensions involving race, religion, and migration. The Spanish government and La Liga have started to act, but change will take time and persistence.