In an interview with El Pais, Celta Vigo center forward Borja Iglesias, very involved in societal issues, supports Kylian Mbappé after the captain called on young people to block extremes during the last legislative elections.
Relatively unknown in France, Borja Iglesias is a player who regularly gets talked about in Spain. Selected twice with La Roja in 2022 and 2023 under the orders of Luis Enrique and Luis de la Fuente, the 31-year-old center forward loaned to Celta Vigo by Betis Sevilla has totaled 60 goals in 189 appearances in La Liga. But the Galician is best known for his positions on non-sporting subjects. In a very sanitized environment, he does not hesitate to paint his nails black to support the Black Lives Matters movement or to campaign against homophobia even though he does not belong to the LGBT community. A commitment that he assumes even if it means being one of the favorite targets of haters on social networks.
“He has nothing to gain by doing so.”
“I don’t care if I receive 10 or 100 comments on the networks. But if someone suffers because they don’t find their place, if they feel judged or badly treated, then damn, it’s because we have a serious problem,” he sighs in an interview with El Pais. Borja Iglesias believes that we must take risks and encourages football players to speak out, particularly in the face of racism in stadiums. As such, Kylian Mbappé’s positions in the heart of the last Euro did not leave him indifferent. The French captain had “called on young people” to vote in the second round of the legislative elections and to position themselves against “the extremes.”
“Certain things really influence me as a human being and, for me, that’s more important than my job. When faced with injustice, I take sides. If there’s something that bothers me, I take sides position because I think it’s useful. For example, when Mbappé takes a position against the far right, he knows the repercussions that it will have. He is privileged. If he takes a position in such a clear way, let’s listen. at least with respect. He has nothing to gain by doing so.
“It’s not because you’re a footballer that you can’t have an opinion”
Although he has never publicly supported a political party, Borja Iglesias intends to continue his fight against the far right: “I want to defend principles such as respect, equality and avoid abuse of power and hatred. I fear the extreme right because it has no limits. I don’t like that it doesn’t respect certain social values or human rights. I want those who vote to think not only about themselves. themselves, but also to their community and to those who suffer”, he affirms before adding: “It is not because we are a footballer that we cannot have an opinion. We have more. of responsibilities, because we have a greater social reach.” And to conclude: “But I understand that some people don’t want to do it.”
