BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick addressed the recent actions of young winger Lamine Yamal, who waved a Palestinian flag during an open-top bus parade celebrating the team’s LaLiga victory. Flick stated that Yamal, at 18, is “old enough” to make such decisions.
Yamal, already recognized as one of the top talents in soccer, proudly held the flag as the team bus made its way through the streets of Barcelona on Monday. The Muslim player also shared images on his Instagram account, showcasing his gesture.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Flick responded to inquiries regarding Yamal’s choice, noting that he spoke with the player about it. “I don’t usually like this kind of thing,” Flick remarked. “But I told him that if that’s what he wants, it’s his choice. He is mature enough at 18.”
Flick further emphasized that his focus was on celebrating the titles with fans. “We are here to play football, and we understand what the people expect from us,” he added. “Our goal is to make them happy through our sport.”
Local authorities estimated that approximately 750,000 fans gathered to celebrate the victory.
The backdrop of Yamal’s actions comes amidst a global backlash against Israel concerning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with sporting and cultural protests emerging worldwide. Spain is among five nations boycotting this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in protest of Israel’s participation.
Spain international Yamal is viewed as a leading candidate to follow in the footsteps of soccer icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport’s next superstar.
Though Yamal missed Barcelona’s title-clinching match against Real Madrid due to injury, he is anticipated to be a standout player at the World Cup set in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this June and July.
Spain will launch its World Cup journey on June 15 against Cape Verde, followed by matches in Group H against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.