Spain forward Lamine Yamal has denounced anti-Muslim chants heard during the national team’s goalless friendly against Egypt in Barcelona, calling the abuse “disrespectful and completely intolerable” as police and football authorities open investigations.

Sections of the crowd at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium were heard chanting “Musulmán el que no bote” – roughly, “If you’re not jumping, you’re a Muslim” – during the first half. The match, against a predominantly Muslim nation, was further marred by loud whistling during Egypt’s national anthem and jeers when some Egyptian players knelt and kissed the ground at halftime.

Yamal, a practicing Muslim who observed Ramadan and whose father is Moroccan and mother Equatoguinean, said the chants were not aimed at him personally but still cut deeply.

“I am Muslim, alhamdulillah,” he wrote on Instagram. “I know it was against the opposition and nothing personal, but as a Muslim it is still disrespectful and completely intolerable. To use religion as a way of mocking others inside a stadium is ignorant and racist. Football is to be enjoyed, to show your support, not to disrespect others for who they are or what they believe in.”

The 18-year-old Barcelona winger, already a key figure for Spain after starring in their European Championship triumph and expected to play a central role at the upcoming World Cup, has received public backing from Catalan authorities.

Catalonia’s sports minister Berni Álvarez said Yamal had clearly been affected and vowed institutional support. “What happened was deplorable. It’s an extremely serious issue which we absolutely condemn. The sensation is everything had been planned. Those chanting came to the game to spout hate speech,” he said, adding that protocols to halt the match should have been activated after the first incident.

The Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police force, confirmed they are investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic chants” from the game. FIFA is also reviewing reports from the referee, match inspector, security officials and video footage, with Spain potentially facing disciplinary action.

RCD Espanyol, whose stadium hosted the fixture, issued a strong statement condemning the racist behaviour and stressing that the match was organised by the Spanish and Catalan football federations and drew a mixed national-team crowd. The club rejected what it called an unfair smear of its fanbase, insisting the abuse came from a small group that “represent neither the club nor our fanbase,” and reaffirmed its commitment to fighting all forms of discrimination.