Spanish singer calls Laporte French, prompting respect request from player

The Spanish national team is on a high, having secured two consecutive victories in the European Championship and advancing to the top of their group.

However, a comment about one of Spain’s national team players on social media has stirred controversy. Guillermo Barreñas, the lead singer of the Spanish band Taburete, expressed his dissatisfaction with the presence of two French-born center-backs, Aymeric Laporte and Romain Langasque, in the Spanish squad: “It really frustrates me to see Spaniards playing in central defense for the Spanish team, Laporte, Langasque, it’s a joke. Nevertheless, I continue to cheer for Spain!”

Barreñas’ candid remark quickly gained traction online, reaching over three million views and catching Laporte’s attention.

Laporte responded to the controversy with maturity and reason: “In football, criticism comes with the territory; it’s part of the job. Careers are short but filled with countless matches and various opinions. Everyone has preferences, and that’s okay. What we ask for is to avoid malicious comments, as they not only affect us but also our families. In today’s society, the power of the media is significant, and therefore, I believe it’s unnecessary to attempt to undermine players’ confidence during major tournaments like the Euros when our shared goal is to perform at our best.”

The discussion also touched upon the prejudice towards players competing in the Saudi league. Laporte highlighted that while the Saudi league is emerging and improving its international standing, time is needed to prove its competitiveness. He used N’Golo Kanté’s impressive performance for France as an example, emphasizing that a player’s ability should not be solely judged based on the league they play in but rather on individual skills and actual on-field performances.

Following Laporte’s response, Barreñas apologized to both players on social media, writing, “Sometimes, I don’t realize the impact that a simple comment between friends can have when posted on Twitter and the harm it might cause. So, I apologize to Laporte and Langasque for my unnecessary tweet. Let’s all support Spain together.”