Salinas blasts Saudi Supercopa for altering Madrid and Barça crests
Former Spanish striker accuses organisers of removing religious symbols from club badges at Saudi Arabia tournament, calls for fan boycott
Former Barcelona and Spain striker Julio Salinas has kicked off a right storm after claiming religious symbols were deliberately removed from Real Madrid and Barcelona crests during the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia.
Cross removed, crown cropped
Salinas took to social media with some proper detective work, pointing out that fan merchandise sold at the tournament had been subtly altered to remove:
- The Cross of St. George (Sant Jordi) from Barcelona’s badge - replaced with horizontal or vertical lines
- The Christian crown from Real Madrid’s royal emblem
According to Salinas, these modifications were made because “in an Islamic country, any display of symbols not related to Islam are prohibited.”
Visual evidence backs claims
The eagle-eyed former striker’s observations appear to check out. Several fans were spotted wearing the modified shirts, and even the massive tifo displayed by Madrid supporters showed the altered crest without its traditional crown.
”It’s rubbish” - calls for action
Salinas didn’t hold back in his criticism of holding the tournament abroad, referencing Athletic Bilbao star Iñaki Williams who initially called the Saudi Arabia arrangement “a load of rubbish” before walking back his comments slightly.
The former Barcelona man went further, suggesting drastic action:
“Shouldn’t Barcelona and Madrid put their foot down and say ‘enough is enough’? The only beneficiary here is the Spanish Federation, which earns 26 million euros. We fans shouldn’t swallow this anymore - we should do something. I’m open to any proposal, including a fan strike.”
Money talks
This latest controversy adds to growing discontent about football’s commercial priorities. The Spanish Federation’s 26 million euro payday for hosting the tournament in Saudi Arabia shows exactly where their bread is buttered.
With cultural compromises being made to accommodate hosts with different religious values, Salinas’s call for clubs and supporters to take a stand raises serious questions about how far football will go for financial gain.