England Players Face Racial Abuse After Euro 2020 Loss

This team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused, says Johnson; police launch probe after Black players who missed final penalty kicks abused online; this abhorrent behaviour is totally unacceptable, says Prince William

LONDON

Black players in the England soccer team have been subjected to a storm of online racist abuse after their defeat in the final of Euro 2020, drawing wide condemnation from the squad’s manager, royalty, religious leaders and politicians.

Marcus Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, were the targets of the abuse after they missed spot-kicks in a penalty shootout with Italy which settled Sunday’s final after the game finished as a 1-1 draw.

The comments have prompted a police investigation and wide condemnation, although critics accused some ministers of hypocrisy for refusing to support a high-profile anti-racist stance the players had made during the tournament.

“This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Twitter.

“Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves.”

While Johnson himself said the team should not be booed, his own spokesman had initially declined to criticise the fans over the issue when asked last month.