I'm Marcus Rashford, 23-year-old, black man: English footballer's powerful reply to racial abuse
London/IBNS: Ever since the high-octane Euro Cup 2020 final concluded on Sunday, the European football took an ugly turn with spectators not just resorting to violence post England's defeat but also hurling racial abuses on players, who couldn't perform in the penalty shootout which went Italy's way.
One of the English players, who was abused after his misadventure in the penalty, was Marcus Rashford.
Taking to Twitter on Monday, Rashford accepted all forms of criticisms barring the ones directed at his skin colour.
"I can take critique (criticism) of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I come from," reads a line from his long statement.
In one of the closing lines of his statement, the footballer says, "I'm Marcus Rashford, 23 year old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that."
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) July 12, 2021
England team manager Gareth Southgate brought in Rashford and Sancho in the penalty shootout but the decision backfired as both failed to hit the nets, giving Italy a chance to win the title.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson too slammed the critics who have racially abused Rashford and Sancho following the final.
Johnson on Monday tweeted, "This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media. Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves."
I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough – this pandemic is not over.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 12, 2021
It is only thanks to the vaccine programme that we are able to take these cautious steps now. But to take these steps we must be cautious and we must be vaccinated.
Please get that jab. pic.twitter.com/GKt2W2iarB
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