Barcelona mural of Yamal and Mbappé vandalized

A street art mural in Barcelona depicting football stars Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé sharing a kiss was vandalized less than an hour after its creation. Created by urban artist TVBoy, the artwork was intended to promote a message of love, tolerance, and inclusion against violence and homophobia in football.

The mural, located on Carrer d'En Cortines, featured the two players wearing their respective club jerseys—Barcelona and Real Madrid—with a golden ball at their feet, referencing the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The incident occurred on the eve of the El Clásico match between the two rival clubs.

Artist Salvatore Benintende, known as TVBoy, expressed regret on social media, stating that the destruction of the piece serves as proof that the message against homophobia in football remains necessary. This is not the first time the artist has used rival stars to provoke reflection; in 2017, he created a similar mural featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.