Lamine Yamal, the young Barcelona forward, has been identified as the most racially abused footballer in Spain, receiving more attacks online than all other La Liga players combined. The report, conducted by the Spanish Observatory Against Racism and Xenophobia (Oberaxe), used an AI system called FARO to track and classify racial attacks across social media platforms.
According to the findings, Yamal accounted for 60% of the reportable online abuse against La Liga players recorded last season, with Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid coming second at 29%. Together, these two players represent nearly 90% of racial abuse targeting La Liga stars, while Kylian Mbappé, Alejandro Balde, Brahim Diaz, and Iñaki Williams were also among the most targeted.
Oberaxe director Tomás Fernández commented on Yamal’s situation, saying, “It reflects the prejudices that persist, and social media offers them a space to express it without limits.”
The study also showed that the online harassment correlates with club prominence. When abuse was directed at a club in general, Real Madrid faced 34% of it, narrowly ahead of Barcelona at 32%. Among the targeted clubs were Valladolid (17%), Valencia (8%), and Athletic Club (6%).
The platforms themselves vary widely in their response to racial abuse. Facebook was noted for removing 62% of reported content, making it the most proactive, while Twitter/X removed only 10%, leaving harmful posts largely unchecked.
The study underscores how deeply entrenched racism remains in Spanish football culture, both online and in stadiums. Fernández warned, “What happens in football is a reflection of our society. Many believe insults aren’t harmful, but that aggressive language can spill over into real life and even lead to physical violence.”
High-profile matches, particularly El Clásico, exacerbate the issue, with racial and xenophobic attacks spiking around the rivalry. La Liga has said it stepped up efforts to combat discrimination in stadiums, but critics argue that penalties imposed by Spanish authorities still fall short of being a true deterrent.
