Africa Solidarity: Mario Balotelli wants African players to join forces to invest in African football
Whistling, monkey cries, assaults, banana skins, insults, defamatory signs, black or mixed-race players are often victims of racism in football stadiums in Europe. On a daily basis, they have to be strong and courageous at all times when faced with insulting remarks about their skin colours.
Left to their own devices, some like Balotelli, Moussa Marega or Eto’o decide to leave the field. Others, such as Brazil’s Taison in Ukraine, sent the ball into the stands to express his displeasure. Some footballers decided to alert and denounce this persistent scourge in the media to change things.
Tired and exhausted from all this injustice, Mario Balotelli made a stunning statement on 16 May 2020. The Ghanaian-born Italian player calls on African players to join forces and pool their money to go and develop African football.
He says on Smc:
“I challenge you African players to put money together with me to leave racist Europe and build stadiums in Africa and develop our youth. We have the money, we can build at least 5 world class stadiums in each country and sign the petition that no more players will be exported to Europe.”
“Here in Africa, they will play under the love of their sisters and brothers without anyone singing racist songs in the stands against them. We are more talented. We can make our championship league of quality and our championships of quality. We have a great talent that is never appreciated abroad”.
Super Mario offers this solution to deal with the racial discrimination they face in their daily lives.