England and Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has apologised for his penalty miss in Italy’s win over England in the EURO 2020 final.
Rashford was one of three players who missed spot-kicks in the final against Italy in which the Azurri won. Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka and soon to be Manchester United summer signing Jadon Sancho were the two others who missed penalties.
The three players received a storm of racist abuse online from England fans following the loss just because of the colour of their skin.
A mural of Rashford in Withington, Manchester, was also vandalised with swear words using graffiti shortly after the match.
Greater Manchester Police said an investigation had been launched after the force received a report of racially aggravated damage.
The graffiti has since been covered up and some people have posted positive messages over the covered-up graffiti on the mural in support of the England star.
Rashford on Monday issued an apology for the penalty miss but also stated he would not be ashamed of his racial background.
“I don’t even know where to start and don’t even know how to put into words how I’m feeling at this exact time,” Rashford wrote via Twitter.
“I’ve had a difficult season, think that’s been clear for everyone to see and I probably went into that final with a lack of confidence. I’ve always backed myself for a penalty but something didn’t feel quite right. During the long run-up was saving myself a bit of time and unfortunately, the result was not what I wanted.
“I felt as though I had let my teammates down. I felt as if I’d let everyone down. A penalty was all I’d been asked to contribute for the team. I can score penalties in my sleep so why not that one?
“It’s been playing in my head over and over since I struck the ball and there’s probably not a word to quite describe how it feels. Final. 55 years. 1 penalty. History. All I can say is sorry. I wish it had gone differently.
“Whilst I continue to say sorry, I want to shout out my teammates. Your success is my success. Your failures are mine. I’ve grown into a sport where I expect to read things written about myself. Whether it be the colour of my skin, where I grew up, or, most recently, how I decide to spend my time off the pitch.
“I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but will never apologise for who am and where came from. I’ve felt no prouder moment than wearing those Three Lions on my chest and seeing my family cheer me on in a crowd of 10s of thousands.
also read:
- Southgate At Fault Not Saka, Rashford and Sancho
- Pickford Wins Euro Golden Glove
- Luke Shaw Hits Back At Mourinho In Press Conference
“I dreamt of days like this. The messages I’ve received today have been positively overwhelming and seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears. The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up.
“I’m Marcus Rashford, 23-year-old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else, I have that.
“For all the kind messages, thank you. I’ll be back stronger. We’ll be back stronger.”
Enjoyed the article? Share with others as well. Stay in the know, follow us on Twitter @punditgist.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.