London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

I won't apologise for who I am - Rashford

I won't apologise for who I am - Rashford

England and Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford apologised for his penalty shootout miss but said he "will never apologise for who I am" after he was one of three players subjected to racist abuse following England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.

Rashford, along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed their spot-kicks.

All three were targeted on social media after the game.

"I felt as if I'd let everyone down," Rashford wrote in a statement.

The 23-year-old added: "I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I 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."

A mural in Rashford's hometown of Withington was defaced after his penalty miss, before it was covered in messages of support.

Earlier on Monday, England boss Gareth Southgate said the racist abuse issued after the defeat was "unforgivable", while Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Football Association have also condemned it.

The Metropolitan Police is investigating the abuse and said "it will not be tolerated", while the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) has also launched an investigation.

Messages of support were posted on a Marcus Rashford mural in his hometown after it was initially defaced


Marcus Rashford's statement in full:


"I don't even know where to start and I don't even know how to put into words how I am feeling at this exact time.

"I've had a difficult season, I 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 I was saving myself a bit of time and unfortunately the result was not what I wanted. I felt as though I had let my team-mates 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 of gone differently.

"Whilst I continue to say sorry I want to shout out my team-mates. This summer has been one of the best camps I've experienced and you've all played a role in that.

"A brotherhood has been built that is unbreakable. Your success is my success. Your failures are mine.

"I've grown into a sport where I expected 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 I will never apologise for who I am and where I 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.

"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."

Data highlights extent of abuse


The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) says that shared data with Channel 4 news after the Euro 2020 final highlighted that over 850,000 tweets were analysed across the whole tournament and showed:

• 1,913 flagged as potentially abusive, specifically targeting Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling.

• 167 posts were considered to be "high risk" abuse.

The PFA said that, while a number of these tweets were deleted - the accounts have not been permanently suspended by Twitter.

"Our preliminary analysis suggests the volume of abuse flagged around the Euro 2020 final, aimed mainly at Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling, was higher than the rest of the tournament combined," the PFA added.

Twitter said it had removed more than 1,000 posts over the past 24 hours and suspended a number of accounts for violating its rules.

Facebook said it had recently announced tougher measures on its Instagram platform, including permanently deleting accounts that repeatedly send abusive direct messages.

'You're not England fans and we don't want you'


England captain Harry Kane has told those behind the racist abuse of Rashford, Sancho and Saka: "You're not an England fan and we don't want you."

The Tottenham striker added on Twitter: "They deserve support and backing, not the vile racist abuse they've had since last night.

"Three lads who were brilliant all summer had the courage to step up and take a pen when the stakes were high.

"If you abuse anyone on social media you're not an England fan and we don't want you."

Defender Tyrone Mings also took to Twitter to talk of his pride in the team reaching the final but added: "Waking up today and seeing my brothers being racially abused for being brave enough to put themselves in a position to help this country, is something that sickens, but doesn't surprise me."

He went on to criticise Home Secretary Priti Patel who last month described players taking the knee against racism as "gesture politics".

England midfielder Kalvin Phillips said he was "disgusted" at the racist abuse directed towards his team-mates.

"Absolutely disgusted at the unnecessary racist abuse I've seen online directed at my team-mates," the Leeds player said on Twitter.

"Nothing but love and respect for my brothers for their courage BukayoSaka87, Sanchooo10 and MarcusRashford, keep your heads up high. We'll come back stronger."

Free meals and book clubs - Rashford's work off the pitch


In October last year, Rashford was given an MBE for services to vulnerable children in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic.

He successfully campaigned for the government to allow about 1.3 million children to claim free school meal vouchers in England's summer holidays

Rashford also set up a book club to get disadvantaged children reading more.

He has previously highlighted incidents of when he has been the target of racial abuse, saying he received "at least 70 racial slurs" on social media following Manchester United's Europa League final loss to Villarreal in May.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×