Lamine Yamal sparks global reactions after raising Palestinian flag during FCB title parade

Footballer Lamine Yamal has sparked widespread global reactions after raising a Palestinian flag during FC Barcelona’s open-top bus parade celebrating its La Liga title on Monday.

Tens of thousands of jubilant fans lined the streets of Barcelona to greet the squad after it secured the club’s 29th league title with a decisive 2-0 victory over rival Real Madrid on Sunday. During the city-center parade, a fan standing in front of the open-top bus held up a Palestinian flag. Yamal noticed the flag and asked the supporter to pass it up to him. The flag was then handed to the 18-year-old winger, who held and waved it from the top deck of the vehicle.

Images of the moment quickly went viral across social media platforms. Yamal further amplified the gesture by sharing a photo of it with his 42 million followers on his personal Instagram account as part of a celebratory post.

The gesture drew widespread admiration across Arab social media and from pro-Palestinian groups worldwide. Supporters praised the teenage star, who is of Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean descent, for using his international platform to express solidarity with the people of Gaza. Conversely, the act also triggered sharp criticism from Israeli commentators, sports journalists and online activists, some of whom argued that politics should not be mixed with sport.

Addressing the moment during a news conference on Tuesday, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said: “This I don’t normally like.”

Flick added that he had spoken with the player, saying: “I told him if he wants this, it is his decision. He is old enough. He’s 18 years old.”

He added: “We are playing football, and you can see what people expect from us.”