Rabat – Josep Pedrerol, host of the Spanish football program El Chiringuito, has drawn backlash after referring to Barcelona star Lamine Yamal as Moroccan while discussing the controversy surrounding footballers’ reactions to a solidarity campaign for Ceuta.
The remark came during a discussion about Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté partially concealing or removing shirts bearing the message “Todos somos caballas” before Real Madrid’s match against Elche.
Pedrerol questioned whether Barcelona would also participate in the initiative, before bringing Yamal into the discussion.
“I’d like for Barça to show up tomorrow also wearing jerseys in support of Ceuta. Yet, they have Lamine, who is Moroccan despite the fact that he plays for Spain,” Pedrerol said during the program.
Read also: Lamine Yamal Still Faces Criticism, Racism Over His Roots and Identity
The comment quickly circulated across social media, where users criticized the presenter for reducing Yamal’s identity to his Moroccan heritage and questioned the relevance of his parentage to the discussion.
Yamal was born in Esplugues de Llobregat, near Barcelona, and grew up in Catalonia. His father is Moroccan and his mother is from Equatorial Guinea. FIFA has noted that he was eligible to represent Spain, Morocco, or Equatorial Guinea before ultimately representing Spain.
The 19-year-old has represented Spain at senior level since making his debut in September 2023. UEFA currently lists Spain as his national team and Spain as his country of birth.
Yamal subsequently became a European champion with Spain at Euro 2024 and was part of Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The remarks came shortly after Moroccan international Abdessamad Ezzalzouli faced a separate backlash for wearing the same “Todos somos caballas” shirt before Real Betis’ match against Villarreal. Ezzalzouli later said the gesture was intended as social solidarity rather than a political statement and defended his Moroccan identity.
The episode involving Yamal has since developed into a separate debate over how the heritage of footballers with dual or multicultural backgrounds is discussed in Spanish football media.
The clip containing Pedrerol’s remark continued to circulate through reposts after the original segment was no longer prominently featured on the program’s social media channels.
