Football family stood together on racist abuse – Semenyo

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo says the response to the alleged racist abuse he suffered at Liverpool on Friday showed football’s “best side when it mattered most”.

Merseyside Police have launched an investigation after Semenyo was abused by someone in the crowd during the first half at Anfield, with a 47-year-old man later ejected from the stadium.

Ghana international Semenyo took to Instagram after the game to show more racist abuse he had received, with the caption: “When will it stop?”

“To my Bournemouth team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally – thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most.

“Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch. This is why I play – for moments like these, for my team-mates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be.

“The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport. We keep moving forward, together.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk called the incident “a disgrace”, and said anti-racism campaigns need to do more to eradicate it from the game.

“The only thing we can do is deal with it by dealing with him personally and try to educate the next generation,” he said. “That is the only way to try and kick it out, in my opinion.

“I can’t believe it. These things shouldn’t happen but unfortunately it does and it is an absolute disgrace in my eyes.”

The Premier League says it is investigating the incident and has offered its support to Semenyo and both clubs.

The incident comes just days after Mathys Tel received online abuse following his penalty miss in Tottenham’s Super Cup defeat by Paris St-Germain.

Last month England defender Jess Carter revealed she had been the target of racist abuse during Euro 2025.

In response, the Lionesses stopped the anti-racism gesture of taking the knee before matches as they argued it was “clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism”.

The Premier League has confirmed all players will be asked to take the knee before two games in October to highlight their anti-discrimination commitments.

On Tuesday, Carter said she feared her England team-mate Lauren James would suffer “astronomical” racist abuse if she had been the only player to have missed a penalty in their Euros quarter-final shootout win against Sweden.

Former Lionesses defender Alex Scott said she was not shocked by the news of Semenyo’s abuse.

“If you look over the course of the summer – Jess Carter, Lauren James. The Lionesses refuse to take the knee as it doesn’t mean anything,” she told Football Focus.

“Look at the [Tottenham] game midweek. Racial slurs happening. The abuse players are getting and the first [Premier League] game of the season it happens again. Are we shocked?

“It is frustrating I have to sit in this chair and talk about it. No doubt coming off this show I will get racially abused because I am speaking about it, once again.”

Speaking on Football Focus, former England striker Dion Dublin said: “How long has it been going on for? It is too long. If I could swear right now – I would.

“It is just wrong. For the players to go on the pitch thinking this could happen. It is so annoying that nothing has been done.