Spanish footballer Borja Iglesias applauds fans raising Palestinian flags during matches

Spanish footballer Borja Iglesias has once again made headlines for taking a strong moral stance, publicly backing pro-Palestinian protesters during the La Vuelta cycling tour. Iglesias did not mince words in describing the situation in Gaza.

“‘He doesn’t like cycling, of course, if it was his football match… if anybody got in front of the goal with a Palestinian flag and that helps, I hope they do it,’” Iglesias said. “When I get to shoot and I don’t score the goal and it’s disallowed, I hope they do it. The other day, they did it in San Mamés, and it wasn’t on TV. Yeah, but before the match, we’re going to talk a bit about football too.”

Iglesias is well-known in Spain for standing up for what he believes is right. He was among the very few players to defend Jenni Hermoso, a Spain women’s international, when the president of the Spanish Football Federation forced a kiss on her while many teammates looked away. In protest, Iglesias refused to accept a national team call-up until meaningful leadership changes were made.

Now, two years later, Borja Iglesias has been called up to the national team again, and he returns with the same conviction that has defined his career. His actions continue to reflect a commitment to social justice and moral integrity, both on and off the field.