Growing Racist Culture In English Football: After Paul Pogba, Now Marcus Rashford. Who's Next?

When English Premier League club Everton signed Moise Kean from Italian giants Juventus, the club's fans warmed up to him nicely and decided to launch an anti-racism banner on his first day at club.

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They did so because the 19 year-old had suffered racist abuse in Italy, a country that has a traditional heritage of being illiberal. It was also to portray English football as more tolerant, accommodating and multicultural.

He might have only been in English football for few weeks, but he has had enough evidence to make up his mind - United Kingdom is no different than Italy.

After Manchester United drew their game 1-1 against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, it happened after Paul Pogba had missed a penalty that proved to be costly. After the game, Paul Pogba was on the receiving end of racist abuse on social media. It was for missing a penalty. How disgusting is that?

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Racism is a predicament English football tries to condemn, but fails to act against. After last week, it happened again. This time the victim was Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford. After Pogba, he missed a penalty this week, after which a tirade of racial slurs came his way.

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A penalty miss can't be a reason for people to act racist, it's simply a disguise to show the true nature of English football - discriminatory and intolerant. It has become a recurring theme, and feeds off the inaction and silence of those running football from up-top.

That dismissive attitude will only surprise anyone who has never been on the end of it.

In November Kick It Out, football¡¯s anti-discrimination organisation, reported an 11% rise in reports of discriminatory abuse last season. The organisation received 520 complaints through its anonymised reporting system, with racism up by 22% and homophobia by 9%, and it is likely the figures will rise again this year.

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Last season, Manchester City's Raheem Sterling, Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, are only few high profile names, who were target of invidious chants - homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, and racist. It comes at time when United Kingdom has it all flowing in the mainstream.

AP

Nobody transforms into a racist after walking into a football stadium. They bring these views in from the outside, where society's divide has been exposed time and over again.

The rising cases of racism highlights the underlying and mighty problems plaguing English football. It's not just England, but in other countries too, racism is far too regular and part of everyday culture.

AFP

It¡¯s near impossible to combat something when some consider it invisible, so here it is ¡ª racism is alive in football. Not just in obscure, insular communities in far corners of the globe, but in the biggest and most prestigious leagues on the planet.

It¡¯s being sung in hallowed stadiums across Europe, screamed and hurled at household names pitch-side.

The authorities and those running the game should come hard, with stringent laws and vigil, to end the the disgusting culture of racism. An example needs to be set and message send loud and clear - different faiths, colour, background, might separate us, but we are all one, and above all, of one human race.

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The onus is also on us, fans, to show that there is no place for hate and racism. Let¡¯s answer the call and remind the world why it¡¯s called the beautiful game. By coming together and speaking out in the moment when we see or hear discrimination trying to creep its way into our sacred sport, we won¡¯t just make football a better game, we¡¯ll set an example for the world around us.