England lost to Italy in the UEFA Euro 2020 final on penalties. Although it was sad moment for the nation, this wasn’t the worst that happened. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, who missed decisive penalties, were racially abused on social media.
Following England’s defeat, a painting celebrating Rashford in Withington was destroyed with graffiti. To counter that, on social media, there has been an abundance of support for the United winger. Over the covered-up graffiti on the artwork, others have also added nice comments. “Role model,” “wonderful human,” and “hero” are among the encouraging remarks scrawled on a red heart.
Several players and celebrities have stepped forward to support the three players. England captain Harry Kane tweeted, “Three lads who were brilliant all summer had the courage to step up and take a pen when the stakes were high. They deserve support & backing not the vile racist abuse they’ve had since last night. If you abuse anyone on social media, you’re not an England fan and we don’t want you.”
The abuse was inexcusable, according to England manager Gareth Southgate. He said in a press conference, “I know a lot of that has come from abroad, that people who track those things have been able to explain that, but not all of it.”
Rashford expressed his gratitude to his teammates for their support in a social media post late Monday, saying he was overwhelmed by the words of love directed at him. He said, “I can take critique of my performance all day long. But I will never apologize for who I am and where I came from.”
The England team has received accolades for their anti-racism stance, and several players have also advocated for other social causes. The squad’s multi-racial makeup was praised as reflecting a more diversified modern Britain.
