Racial slurs and gestures, including monkey chants and Nazi salutes, disrupted the recent game between England and Bulgaria. The England manager, Gareth Southgate, intervened twice to pause the game and call for an end to the abuse.
At one point, the players were given the option to abandon the game following Uefa’s protocol, but they decided to continue until halftime, ultimately winning 6-0.
Bulgaria’s coach, Krasimir Balakov, claimed he did not hear the racist behavior and even suggested that England has more racism issues than Bulgaria within football.
However, English player Raheem Sterling expressed skepticism about Balakov’s denial on Twitter.
Southgate expressed disappointment that his players had become “desensitized to racism” due to enduring similar incidents in their own country.
During the match, England introduced three new black players, Tyrone Mings, Marcus Rashford, and Sterling. Mings disclosed that the abuse started during warm-ups.
At halftime, Bulgaria’s captain, Ivelin Popov, was seen confronting some of the team’s fans. Rashford commended Popov for standing up against racism, emphasizing that such actions require courage and recognition.
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