“Spain is not a racist country.” Real Madrid coach comments on the events of the Spain-Egypt match

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa confirmed on Friday that “Spain is not a racist country,” calling at the same time not to “generalize” after this new incident in one of the stadiums, after being asked about the anti-Islamic chants that accompanied the international friendly match between Spain and Egypt on Tuesday in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Arbeloa said in a press conference: “Spain is not a racist country, otherwise we would be witnessing incidents of this kind every week in all stadiums. But our position remains the same: all forms of racist behavior in stadiums and in society must be eliminated.”
He added, “We are a very tolerant country, and we should not generalize matters when such incidents occur. We must continue to fight with the same force so that these actions are not repeated, whether in stadiums or in society.”
For his part, Atletico Madrid’s Argentine coach Diego Simeone pointed out that there is a “social” problem at the global level, and not just “in Spain, Argentina or Brazil.”
Simeone said, “For years, the respect we should have for parents, teachers, police, and even the coach has been lost.”
The preparatory match between Spain and Egypt (0-0) in Barcelona on Tuesday witnessed racist chants (“Whoever does not jump is a Muslim!”) sparked a wave of condemnation in the country and prompted the Catalan police to open an investigation.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday criticized the “minority” of fans who “tarnished” Spain’s image in an “unacceptable” incident, and promising star Lamine Jamal, a Muslim, denounced what he described as an “unacceptable lack of respect.”
This position was praised by Barcelona’s German coach, Hansi Flick, who reiterated that “there is no place for racism, neither in football nor in life,” calling for “integration and inclusion.”
Despite the efforts of the authorities and the issuance of several judicial convictions, this case constitutes a new example of the difficulties that Spanish football faces in eliminating racism in its stadiums, whether on the stands or on its green rectangles, where incidents of this kind have multiplied in recent months.
The Brazilian star of Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior, who became a symbol of the struggle against discrimination in the world of football, was the one most exposed to these insults since his arrival in Madrid in 2018, but only a portion of these incidents led to the imposition of penalties.