A new study has found that Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal receives more racial abuse on social media than every other LaLiga player combined.
The research, conducted by the Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia (Oberaxe) using its FARO AI monitoring system, highlights a disturbing rise in online hate within Spanish football.
Yamal, who was also targeted by Real Madrid fans during a 2024 El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu, has become the leading victim of racial attacks online.
Yamal and Vinicius account for 90% of online hate
According to the findings published by El País, Yamal received 60% of all recorded racial abuse online last season, while Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior accounted for 29%.
Together, the pair represent nearly 90% of all detected attacks. Other high-profile targets include Kylian Mbappé, Alejandro Balde, Brahim Díaz and Iñaki Williams.
The study recorded 33,438 pieces of reportable racist content, with Barcelona (32%) and Real Madrid (34%) players facing the majority of attacks.
They were followed by players from Real Valladolid, Valencia, Athletic Club, Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid.
Facebook leads moderation efforts as X/Twitter ranks worst
Oberaxe found significant differences in how platforms respond to racial abuse. Facebook removed 62% of flagged racist content, making it the most proactive platform.
X/Twitter, however, took down only 10% of reported posts, ranking as the least effective in moderating hate speech.
Growing pressure on Spanish football authorities
LaLiga has increased efforts to combat racism in stadiums, but the findings reinforce concerns that broader enforcement remains inadequate.
Critics argue that sanctions imposed by Spanish authorities remain inconsistent and too mild to act as a meaningful deterrent.
