‘If he wants this, it is his decision’
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said Lamine Yamal was old enough to make his own decisions after the forward was seen waving a Palestinian flag during the club’s La Liga victory parade.
The Catalan giants took to the streets on Monday to celebrate back-to-back league titles, but it was the 18-year-old’s actions that dominated the headlines in the aftermath.
As the open-top bus wound its way through the city, surrounded by an estimated 750,000 fans, Yamal held the flag aloft, later sharing the moment with his millions of followers on Instagram.
The gesture did not go unnoticed, and by Tuesday morning, Barcelona head coach Flick found himself facing questions about his star player’s actions during a scheduled press conference. Flick, known for his disciplined approach, was candid about the situation.
“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.”
Despite the individual focus on Yamal, Flick was keen to redirect the narrative back to the bond between the team and the city. After securing consecutive titles, the German coach emphasised that the joy of the supporters remains his primary motivation.
“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.”
The spotlight on Yamal is brighter than ever.
Already widely regarded as one of the best players on the planet, the Spain international is frequently touted as the natural heir to the throne vacated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
With the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico just weeks away, Yamal is expected to be the focal point of the Spanish national team.
