BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Lamine Yamal was “old enough” to make his own decisions after he waved a Palestinian flag during an open-top bus parade as the team celebrated winning LaLiga.
The 18-year-old winger, who is already widely regarded as one of the best soccer players in the world, held the flag as the team bus drove through the streets of Barcelona on Monday. Yamal, who is Muslim, also posted pictures of himself holding the flag on his Instagram account.
During a news conference Tuesday, Flick was questioned about the decision by Yamal, whose father is Moroccan, to wave the flag.
“This I don’t normally like,” Flick said. “I spoke with him. I said if he wants this, it is his decision. He is old enough. He’s 18 years old.”
Flick said celebrations with fans after back-to-back titles was his priority.
“We are playing football and you can see what the people expect from us,” Flick added. “We are playing football to make the people happy. This is for me the first thing we have to do.”
Nearly 750,000 people were estimated to have taken to the streets, according to local authorities.
There has been a global backlash against Israel over the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza, which has spread to sport and culture. Protests have been seen in soccer, cycling and basketball. Spain is one of five countries boycotting this year’s Eurovision song contest to protest Israel’s inclusion.
Spain international Yamal is one of the leading contenders to take over from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer’s biggest star.
Yamal, who did not play for Barcelona in their title-clinching win over Real Madrid on Sunday because of injury, is expected to be one of the top players at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July.
Spain kick off their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde, before continuing Group H play against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
