Barcelona star Lamine Yamal insisted that he strives to be ‘a polite and respectful person’ as he spoke publicly for the first time since being accused of disrespecting the King of Spain.
The 17-year-old sparked controversy following his team’s fiery Copa del Rey triumph over Real Madrid on Saturday night for his behaviour towards the monarch during the trophy presentation.
Instead of offering a traditional handshake to Felipe VI, Yamal — sporting two pairs of sunglasses and a backwards shirt — chose to ‘dap’ His Majesty.
A ‘dap’ involves greeting someone with a casual gesture, often involving slapping palms and embracing with a hug.
The embrace, though, didn’t go down well with a number of social media users, as they failed to see the funny side of things.
‘A lack of respect,’ one fan posted on X. Another added: ‘This boy is really Gen Z lol.
Yamal was accused of disrespecting the King of Spain after Barcelona’s Copa del Rey victory
King Felipe VI was in attendance as Barcelona lifted the Cope del Rey after beating Real Madrid
A third wrote: ‘A Real Madrid player will be suspended for doing this.’
Yamal continued to do the same action down the line, including with Barca president Joan Laporta, who reached forward to hug his side’s star man on the back of their success.
And speaking ahead of his club’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter Milan on Wednesday, Yamal was keen to point out that good manners had been installed in him from a young age.
‘I would like to be remembered as a good player, and as a polite and respectful person, which is what my parents taught me at home,’ he said.
The Copa del Rey final itself was a dramatic affair, with Barcelona and Real Madrid locked at 2-2 after normal time. Jules Kounde eventually netted a 116th-minute winner for Barcelona, sparking wild celebrations.
Real Madrid ended the match in disarray, having three players sent off during the contest. Antonio Rudiger, Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vazquez were all shown red cards as tensions boiled over.
Barcelona’s triumph in Seville puts the Catalan club on course for a treble. They hold a four-point advantage over Real Madrid in La Liga and are just three games away from winning a sixth European Cup.
Lamine Yamal has spoken in public for the first time since Saturday’s trophy presentation
Hansi Flick prepares his Barcelona side for the Champions League semi-final against Inter
Hansi Flick’s side will start as strong favourites against Inter Milan but Yamal is not underestimating their opponents.
‘I’m very excited, I’m eager to show what we’re capable of,’ he said.
‘They’re a very strong team defensively; it’s their best weapon. They play very well on the counterattack. But we’re good, and we have to give everything we have to get through to the next round.
‘They’re playing in a Champions League semi-final, they’re playing to get through to the final, and they’re going to give everything they have.
‘(Inter) are good on the counterattack, one of the best. It’s a team I like to watch.’
