When you score, you’re English. When you miss, you’re an immigrant
In the penalty shoot-out that saw Italy defeat England in the UEFA Euro 2020 final, the skill of the goal-keepers was overshadowed by the perceived failure of the English players who missed their shots. Three young players -- Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka -- were subjected to torrents of anti-black racist abuse.
One of the worst things about this racism was how predictable it was. Racism has long been found in European sports, and is intensified when players of colour are put in the spotlight during major international competitions. A tweet in response to the harassment captures this phenomenon: “When you score, you’re English. When you miss, you’re an immigrant.”
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