The Conversation (0)
Greg Evans
Jun 13, 2021
The England football team have started their Euro 2020 campaign with a group stage game at Wembley against Croatia, the team that beat them in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Much of the discussion before the game was about Gareth Southgate’s team selection and the non-debate around footballers taking the knee before the kick-off to show solidarity and support for Black Lives Matter and those facing racial inequality around the world.
The stance had been booed by supposed fans at England’s friendlies before the tournament. Following this, individuals such as Nigel Farage, Laurence Fox, Brexiteers and a handful of Tory MPs had claimed that the act was political and showed support for ‘Marxism’ and that they didn’t want political messages creeping into football.
The England team, including Southgate, responded by saying that taking the knee had nothing to do with politics and was purely a stance against racism. The Football Association also released a statement and video on the eve of Sunday’s game urging supporters not to boo and show support for the team and the message they are trying to send.
We need you. All of us. All of you. https://t.co/VtQ1quXpvg— England (@England) 1623528089
A message to @England supporters: https://t.co/mSRzpTjQ00— The FA (@The FA) 1623528001
Unfortunately, despite this, some of the few fans that were in the stadium still chose to boo the knee although they were drowned out by applause from other supporters. There were also audible boos for the Croatia national anthem. Croatia, incidentally, did not take the knee.
The moment some England fans tried to boo players taking the knee, they were drowned out by a larger section cheeri… https://t.co/Wba67OQ66w— 🇬🇭 Carl Anka 🇬🇭 (@🇬🇭 Carl Anka 🇬🇭) 1623589399
Initial boos for the taking of the knee drowned out by cheers. Phenomenal. #Euro2020— Nizaar Kinsella (@Nizaar Kinsella) 1623589247
A few boos from a few idiots, but pleasing to hear them drowned out by applause. 🦁🏴— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) 1623589276
Boos drowned out by cheers as England players take a knee.— James Olley (@James Olley) 1623589231
Boos drowned out the clapping seals when England took the knee just now....— Rob Boyd #BackBoris, Esq. (@Rob Boyd #BackBoris, Esq.) 1623589261
England players take the knee and a smattering of boos are drowned out by cheers and claps- much better.— Natalie Pirks (@Natalie Pirks) 1623589221
Racist boo'ers got drowned out by decent people.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #ENGCRO https://t.co/Wzt3iZCPmI— Mukhtar (@Mukhtar) 1623589826
And shame on the people who choose to boo young men who want to register their opposition to racism. Whatever the r… https://t.co/4dKVuuOzHO— Anand Menon (@Anand Menon) 1623589556
Hmmm... Is it taking the knee that's dividing football? OR RACISM?!! #ENGCRO https://t.co/Zp7rLUjYom https://t.co/BBeDoSua4A— Natasha Henry (@Natasha Henry) 1623590266
The vast majority of fans in the stadium are clearly against racism, for equality and behind their team. Well played.— Gary Lineker 💙 (@Gary Lineker 💙) 1623589415
Regardless it’s still disappointing to hear that some chose to ignore the wishes of the team.
Henry Winter of The Times asked why those fans would boo a player like Raheem Sterling, who was named on the Queen’s birthday honours list for his services to racial equality a sentiment echoed by many.
Some #ENG fans boo players taking a knee. They're booing players like Raheem Sterling who's just been appointed MBE… https://t.co/i2bV3WhMR6— Henry Winter (@Henry Winter) 1623589306
20,000 fans lucky enough to get into Wembley, and some of them still boo. What are you doing there? #ENG— Chloe Hubbard (@Chloe Hubbard) 1623589299
Rob Harris of the Associated Press also reported that he heard chants of ‘No surrender,’ an anti-IRA chant which really has no place in football, from some in the crowd.
Despite pleas from the England team, some fans still boo as players take a knee. And looking round was some of the… https://t.co/SAOW2wLGSx— Rob Harris (@Rob Harris) 1623589309
There was also footage from outside the stadium just hours before kick-off of a group of fans singing ‘ten German bombers’ a World War II song that some England fans have adopted to show their ‘patriotism.’
Game starts in two hours. https://t.co/5NeaYqk3EZ— Darren Lewis (@Darren Lewis) 1623581980
On Saturday night, Belgium footballers who took the knee before their game against Russia were booed by fans in Saint Petersburg.
Top 100
x