French media "Team News" published an article saying that although Yamal received a lot of criticism off the court, it did not affect his condition on the court.
Yamar has been forced to become a debate center on political and social issues recently. Whether it is the controversy of his birthday party, the frequent use of Catholic to answer media questions, or his background, he has frequently appeared in the public eye today. Although he is only 18 years old, Yamal already has a huge influence.
According to David Moscoso, a PhD in sociology at the University of Cordoba, Barcelona players like Yamal are particularly special in the current national and global political context: "When Spain and Europe link a person's residence legitimacy to his skin color, origin and nationality, Yamal's existence becomes important, which is something that the far-right parties want to emphasize." In 2023, Yamal's father Munier was fined for arguing with supporters of the Spanish far-right party Vox in Mataro, Barcelona. As an immigrant, Yamal's father was Moroccan and his mother was Equatorial Guinea. Yamal, who is now a symbol of Spanish multiculturalism and openness, has to take on a role he never asked for but has been with him since his birth.
Therefore, Yamal has not only become the target of racism, but also faces other attacks. Last year, when Barcelona beat Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu, Yamal was racially discriminatory insulted by Real Madrid fans. Moscoso said: "The attacks on Yamal's private life, his parents and his community have gone beyond football, and they also regard Yamal as the core target of racial and xenophobic criticism." In sharp contrast to this is Kavajal, a player who had a smile on his face with the spokesman of the far-right party Vox in May last year. In Moscoso's view, this is a symbol: "Yamar and Carvajal represent the ideological diversity that exists in Spain at present, as in France, the United States, and many parts of the world, where there is a serious opposition, and it is a moment of social division."
However, this situation has not yet had an impact on the unity of the Spanish team's locker room, but it is enough to illustrate the importance of the role Yamal, who was still unknown two years ago, needs to take on.
source:7m sport