Spain not racist, but tolerant – Real Madrid coach Arbeloa

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Real Madrid’s new coach Alvaro Arbeloa gives a press conference at Real Madrid Sports City in Valdebebas, in the outskirts of Madrid, on January 13, 2026. Real Madrid appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as new coach on January 12, 2026 after coach Xabi Alonso has left the club by mutual consent, a day after the team lost the Spanish Super Cup final against rivals Barcelona, AFP reports. (Photo by Oscar DEL POZO / AFP)

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Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Friday that Spain was a tolerant country and not racist, despite Islamophobic chanting during a national team match this week.

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Sections of the crowd at Spain’s friendly against Egypt on Tuesday sang “whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim” during the game at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium in Cornella.

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Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, criticised those chanting as “ignorant and racist”.

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Arbeloa defended Spain while insisting racist attitudes should be eliminated.

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“I think Spain is not a racist country, if it was we would have a problem every weekend at all of the stadiums,” Arbeloa told reporters.

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“I keep thinking we have to eradicate any racist attitude at stadiums, and in society… Spain as a country has to keep fighting to get rid of these attitudes

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“(However) I think we’re a great country, very tolerant, and with these kind of situations we shouldn’t generalise.”

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Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior has been racially abused at several stadiums across the country in high-profile incidents in recent years.

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In January 2023, Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground.

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Four months later Vinicius squared off with fans abusing him at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, in an incident which gained him worldwide support in his battle against racism.

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In 2025 five Real Valladolid fans, who racially abused Vinicius in a 2022 match, were found guilty by a court of committing a hate crime — the first such ruling in Spain regarding insults at a football stadium.

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Real Madrid visit Mallorca on Saturday as they bid to close the gap on leaders Barca at the top of La Liga.

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French superstar Kylian Mbappe is fit after several months carrying a knee sprain, which Arbeloa said is now behind him.

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Spanish media reported Madrid had scanned Mbappe’s wrong knee when trying to diagnose the problem, which the club’s top scorer said was not true.

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“As Kylian said, that information is false,” added Arbeloa. “Let’s put Mbappe’s knee behind us and enjoy his goals.”

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AFP

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