
<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The plight of Black players on the England national team who were hit with a torrent of racist abuse after the team’s loss at the 2020 Euro final last Sunday has taken center stage on Instagram this week, with a particular focus on 23-year-old Marcus Rashford, who has opened up in-depth about his personal experience since the game.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Data from social media tracking firm Newship shows the 12 posts with the most comments on Instagram since Sunday all concerned at least one of the three Black players on England’s team—Rashford, Bukayo Saka, and Jadon Sancho—who have all been attacked for missing penalties during the final shootouts against Italy.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-51885" width="675" height="450" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1328724051-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>These posts, earning up to 4.6 million likes and hundreds of thousands of comments, ranged from reporting on the attacks by major British news outlets like BBC News and Sky Sports to more personal posts about the players.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The vast majority centered around Rashford, a Manchester United striker who has published multiple top-trending posts since England’s loss, including an in-depth reaction the day after the game which drew the most comments (230,000) of anything published on Instagram this week.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In the popular July 12 post, lauded in the comments by a number of other high-profile soccer stars, Rashford apologized to fans for missing the penalty, but said he will “never” apologize “for who I am and where I came from.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>He also highlighted the response to the defacing of a mural of his face in his hometown of Withington, Manchester, saying it brought him to the verge of tears to see fans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jul/16/marcus-rashford-mural-racial-police-manchester-artwork" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cleaning up the vandalism.</a></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE&nbsp;</h3>



<p>“I’ve grown into a sport where I expect to read things about myself, whether it be the colour of my skin, where I grew up, or, most recently where I decide to spend my time off the pitch,” Rashford wrote. “I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough. It should have gone in but I will never [apologize] for who I am or where I came from.”</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-51886" width="612" height="408" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1329410687-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /><figcaption>  (Photo by Alex Livesey &#8211; Danehouse/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>Though neither gained as much engagement as Rashford’s, both Saka and Sancho, who are 19 and 21 years old, respectively, also posted statements on social media reflecting on the game. “There are no words to tell you how disappointed I was with the result of my penalty,” wrote Saka to over 2.5 milion likes and supportive comments from fellow Arsenal players Ben White, Joe Willock and more. Meanwhile, Sancho deemed missing the penalty “by far the worst feeling I’ve felt in my career.”&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The loss at last week’s match—which marked the first time England has reached a major final since winning the World Cup in 1966—immediately sparked a torrent of racist attacks against the young trio on social media. The abuse was quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/12/racist-abuse-targeted-at-black-england-players-denounced-by-uks-boris-johnson-fa-and-prince-william/?sh=5a388c0d1b65">condemned</a>&nbsp;by England’s Football Association, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and even Prince William, and arrests have since been made in relation to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/england-eng/story/4432974/arrests-made-over-racist-abuse-of-england-players" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offensive comments.</a>&nbsp;The targeted players have pushed for meaningful action from social media companies to prevent the online hate from resurfacing.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC&nbsp;</h3>



<p>“To the social media platforms @instagram @twitter @facebook I don’t want any child or adult to have to receive the hateful and hurtful messages that me Marcus and Jadon have received this week,” Saka wrote. “I knew instantly the kind of hate that I was about to receive and that is a sad reality that your powerful platforms are not doing enough to stop these messages.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING&nbsp;</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/12/racist-abuse-targeted-at-black-england-players-denounced-by-uks-boris-johnson-fa-and-prince-william/?sh=5a388c0d1b65">“Racist Abuse Targeted At Black England Players Denounced By U.K.’s Boris Johnson, FA And Prince William”</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Jemima McEvoy, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Italy v England – UEFA Euro 2020: Final

‘All I Can Say Is Sorry’: England’s Black Soccer Players’ Experiences With Racism Dominated Instagram This Week


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: British politicians and football officials condemned racist abuse lobbed at a number of England soccer players Sunday after the team lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy in penalty shootouts, following a day of unrest as rowdy crowds gathered in London and across England to watch the match.  </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Torrents of racist abuse were directed at three Black England players—Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho—after the trio failed to score penalties during the game’s final shootouts Sunday night.&nbsp;</p>



<p>England’s Football Association condemned the abuse and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FA/status/1414392591173492737?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it is “appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media.”</p>



<p>Echoing the FA’s sentiment, the England team&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/England/status/1414390646169821186?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">released</a>&nbsp;a statement saying it is “disgusted that some of our squad—who have given everything for the shirt this summer—have been subjected to discriminatory abuse online after tonight&#8217;s game.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1414465103374729220?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">backed</a>&nbsp;the team, saying they “deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.”</p>



<p>The Metropolitan Police&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414380936016318464?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;the racist abuse is “unacceptable, will not be tolerated and… will be investigated.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The force said it <a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414388160595906564?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">made</a> 49 arrests during the day of the match and <a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414388737883131904?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">that</a> 19 officers were injured in confrontations with “volatile” crowds, <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/england-vs-italy-police-riot-gear-break-up-england-fans-arrests-euros-final-1098789" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">including</a> those who <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/euro-2021/2021/07/11/london-descends-chaos-ahead-englands-euro-2020-final-showdown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stormed</a> into London’s Wembley Stadium, where the match was held, trashed Leicester Square, threw bottles and set off flares in the street.   </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. <br><br>It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour. <br><br>It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable. W</p>&mdash; The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1414514323142107136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/MQoVHCYUfy">pic.twitter.com/MQoVHCYUfy</a></p>&mdash; FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAspokesperson/status/1414388159769714690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.<br><br>Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves.</p>&mdash; Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1414465103374729220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/MQoVHCYUfy">pic.twitter.com/MQoVHCYUfy</a></p>&mdash; FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAspokesperson/status/1414388159769714690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rashford, Saka and Sancho. <br><br>Three Lions. 🦁🦁🦁</p>&mdash; Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/SadiqKhan/status/1414361530620125184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SadiqKhan/status/1414384625032613889?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;there is “absolutely no place for racism in football or anywhere else.” Khan called on social media companies to “act immediately to remove and prevent this hate.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>British politicians from&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/OliverDowden/status/1414489436608466946?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">across</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AlexDaviesJones/status/1414471383065710594?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">political</a>&nbsp;spectrum said the online abuse underscores the need for stricter regulation for social media companies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>England’s football players have been taking the knee before matches for the past year in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The practice, which has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-57382945" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">booing</a>&nbsp;from crowds, has continued for Euro 2020 matches. England players Home Secretary Priti Patel&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1414483365558951937?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;she is “disgusted” by the “vile racist abuse” the England players—”who have given so much for our country this summer”—have been subjected to on social media. In June, Patel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/priti-patel-taking-knee-boo-england-b1865409.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defended</a>&nbsp;the right of fans to boo England players for taking the knee in protest of racism, describing it as “gesture politics.” Over the course of the tournament, fans and politicians alike have been quick to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/hypocrite-priti-patel-celebrates-after-24488499" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accuse</a>&nbsp;Patel of hypocrisy when showing her support for the team. English football clubs, players and organizations have previously orchestrated social media boycotts to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-04-30/manchester-united-report-350-increase-in-online-abuse-towards-players-as-club-joins-social-media-boycott" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protest</a>&nbsp;the abuse players face. Rashford has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/27/marcus-rashford-receives-racial-abuse-social-media-after-europa-league-loss" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open</a>&nbsp;about the racist abuse he faces on social media, which he has previously reported to the police.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/fa-condemns-racist-abuse-players-following-englands-final-loss-2021-07-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FA condemns racist abuse of players after England&#8217;s Euro 2020 final loss</a> (Reuters)</p>



<p><strong><em>By </em></strong><em><strong>Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Tag: Bukayo Saka

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

‘All I Can Say Is Sorry’: England’s Black Soccer Players’ Experiences With Racism Dominated Instagram This Week

Racist Abuse Targeted At Black England Players Denounced By U.K.’s Boris Johnson, FA And Prince William