The night of February 23, 2026 will remain engraved in the collective memory of Spain as one of the most tense and viral moments on recent television. On the set of “El Debate” on La Sexta, hosted by Ana Pastor, the young FC Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, only 18 years old, became the center of an unexpected confrontation with the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal.

The official theme of the program was “Sport as a mirror of society: inclusion, values ​​and commitment.” The conversation revolved around the great campaign “Football with Pride 2026”, promoted by LaLiga, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, several government ministries and publicly supported by left and center parties, but also openly criticized by Vox.

The initiative provided for rainbow armbands for the captains, messages on the stadium video scoreboards, advertising campaigns on the fields and a visible symbolic commitment of the players throughout the 2026/27 season to make visible and combat LGTBI-phobia in Spanish football.

Lamine Yamal had been clear weeks before in an interview with Sport: «I respect everyone and condemn any type of discrimination. But I am a footballer, not an activist. On the field I want football to continue being football: game, passion and unity. “I don’t see myself wearing political messages or any other type on my shirt or armband.” His words, although moderate, had already generated controversy on networks and in radio talk shows.

On the set, the discussion was going on normally until Abascal spoke. After hearing the player’s position, the Vox leader leaned forward and launched a direct accusation:

«A kid like you, who comes from a humble family, who has grown up in a multicultural neighborhood of Barcelona, ​​who has received all the support of a diverse society… and now you refuse to show solidarity with those who continue to suffer insults and attacks in the fields? That’s not neutrality, Lamine. That’s betrayal. “Betrayal of your own origins, of the people who admire you and of the values ​​that you claim to defend.”

Silence took over the studio. Ana Pastor tried to redirect the debate, but Abascal continued in a high tone: «You play for Barça, the ‘more than a club’ club, financed in part by global sponsorships that promote these values… and you hide when they ask you for a minimal gesture? “That’s not bravery, it’s cowardice.”

Lamine Yamal remained motionless for a few seconds, with his hands resting on his knees and his gaze fixed on Abascal. He did not show anger or nervousness. Then, with a calm but sharp voice like a knife, he spoke ten words that changed the course of the night:

“Sit down, Barbie.”

The impact was immediate. Abascal visibly recoiled in his seat, as if he had received an invisible blow. His eyes widened and for a moment he lost his composure. Ana Pastor was left with her mouth half open. The rest of the panelists—among them a representative of the FELGTBI+ and a sports journalist—looked at each other in astonishment.

For six or seven eternal seconds, the set was completely silent.

And then applause broke out. It was not polite or scattered applause. It was a spontaneous, standing roar, directed entirely at the young footballer. Cameras captured dozens of people in the audience standing up, applauding loudly and nodding in approval. The ovation lasted almost twenty seconds, until the presenter managed to regain control.

Yamal did not smile or celebrate. He simply bowed his head slightly in gratitude and looked straight ahead again. When Pastor asked him if he wanted to add anything else, he responded just as calmly:

«I have already said it all. I respect the campaign and what it seeks. I condemn homophobia one hundred percent. But no one is going to force me to wear a bracelet or a message that I don’t feel is mine. The respect is mutual. Spot”.

The rest of the program took place in a charged atmosphere. Abascal tried to come back by saying that his intervention had been “passionate” and that “the debate on LGTBI-phobia in football is too important to be reduced to a childish phrase”, but the damage had already been done. The ten-second clip—Abascal’s retreat, the stony silence, and the applause—went viral in minutes.

On social networks, #SiéntateBarbie surpassed four million mentions in less than three hours. Memes flooded Twitter, TikTok and Instagram: Yamal staring, Abascal cowering in his chair, the audience standing. The comments were divided between admiration and fierce criticism.

«At 18 years old he gave Abascal a class lesson. “Idol,” wrote a culé fan. “It is a lack of respect disguised as youthful cockiness,” replied from accounts related to Vox. «Abascal kept calling a kid a traitor on air. Yamal responded with elegance,” said one journalist.

FC Barcelona issued a brief statement the following day: «Lamine Yamal is an exemplary young man on and off the field. “We respect their freedom of expression and continue to support all initiatives against discrimination in football.” Hansi Flick, first team coach, commented at a press conference: «He is a mature, intelligent boy. He knows what he wants to say and he says it without disrespect. “I like that personality.”

From Vox, Abascal’s entourage minimized the incident: “It was an intense debate. Lamine is young and used an ironic tone. “What is important is the substance: the need to combat LGTBI-phobia in stadiums.” However, the images of the leader retreating and the massive applause became an uncomfortable symbol for the party.

For Lamine Yamal, the night represented a qualitative leap in his public image. Already considered one of the greatest talents in world football, he now adds an aura of maturity and resilience under extreme pressure. Colleagues like Pedri, Gavi and Fermín López published messages of support on networks. Even former players like Xavi Hernández wrote: «Classy response. “That’s being great.”

The “Football with Pride 2026” campaign will continue, with several captains confirming that they will wear the rainbow armband. But the evening of February 23 will go down in history not for the policies of inclusion, but for an icy ten-word reply that silenced one of the most combative politicians in Spain, left an entire set silent and received an ovation that no one expected.

With just ten words, an 18-year-old boy turned a political attack into a master lesson in self-control, respect and serenity. And the audience stood up to applaud him.