Lamine Yamal Waves Palestinian Flag at Barcelona Parade

Barcelona's teenage soccer star Lamine Yamal waved a Palestinian flag during the club's La Liga title parade on Monday, sparking both praise on social media and sharp criticism from Israel's defense minister.

The 18-year-old winger, a key player for FC Barcelona and Spain's national team, held the flag aloft from an open-top bus as the team celebrated its 29th Spanish league championship. The parade route from Camp Nou to the city center drew an estimated 750,000 fans, according to local authorities. It followed Barcelona's 2-0 victory over Real Madrid on Sunday, which clinched the title with three matches left and a 14-point lead over the second-place team. Yamal, who missed the match due to injury, later shared images of the moment on Instagram.

Yamal's gesture drew widespread online attention. Supporters praised it as a show of solidarity. One social media user wrote, "This young man will go down in history, not only as a spectacular soccer player, but also as a great humanist. His act of solidarity and social awareness will inspire future generations. He earned galaxies of respect." Another from Gaza said, "Maybe it seems simple to some people, but it reaches our hearts here...