Black footballers are not held to the same standard as their white teammates (Picture: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) When England’s Euro 2025 match against Sweden went to penalties, I wasn’t thinking about tactics or strategy or whether the Lionesses would make it through. I was thinking about Michelle Agyemang. Not because the teenager had been the breakout star of the tournament. Not because her brilliant late equaliser drew us level. But because I had a deep sense of dread for her. Questions raced through my mind. Would she take a penalty? What if she missed? What would they say? Because I knew what would follow if she didn’t score. Because Black footballers are not held to the same standard as their white teammates. When things go wrong (or even when they don’t), it’s not just their performance that gets criticised, it’s who they are. And what follows isn’t ordinary backlash. It’s a fear I carry into every major tournament now as a Black woman and as a football fan. I love football. I love following Arsenal. I love cheering on the Lionesses. But that joy is tangled with dread. Jess Carter, who was subbed off after 70 minutes of normal time, received a torrent of abuse (Picture: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images) Because for Black players, there’s no room for error. One missed shot. One bad game. And the punishment isn’t tactical critique. It’s racist abuse that is relentless, vicious and dehumanising. In the end, Michelle Agyemang didn’t take a penalty. But Jess Carter, who was subbed off after 70 minutes of normal time, received a torrent of abuse, even though England ultimately went through following a heroic comeback. Carter, a centre back who plays for Gotham FC in the US, didn’t just have, arguably, a bad performance. Plenty of players did and will. It’s tournament football after all. But she was the one singled out. She was the one hit with racist hate. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page The 49-cap player said in a statement: ‘From the start of the tournament I have experienced a lot of racial abuse… I don’t agree or think it’s OK to target someone’s appearance or race. ‘As a result… I will be taking a step back from social media.’ She shouldn’t have had to say that. She shouldn’t have had to carry that. She should have been protected. England manager Sarina Wiegman summed it up in her pre-match press conference: ‘It’s ridiculous and disgusting what’s happening.’ And it is. Wiegman also said, ‘Everyone has to take responsibility.’ And that responsibility must start with the sporting institutions that hold the power to protect players and fail to do so. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page The FA put out a statement condemning the ‘online poison.’ They said they were working with police and social media platforms. But let’s be real, we’ve been here before. We’ve heard it all. And we’ve seen no tangible change. It feels stagnant. The FA probably have a statement like this on standby in their drafts. Because it happens too often for anyone to be shocked anymore. And yet, the abuse keeps coming. After the Euros final in 2021, when Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, and Jadon Sancho missed penalties and were subjected to disgusting racism, the outrage was loud. But here we are again, in 2025. Jess Carter should never have had to step back from social media to protect her peace. Marcus Rashford (pictured), Bukayo Saka, and Jadon Sancho missed penalties and were subjected to disgusting racism (Photo by Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images) The FA helps the police track down offenders – but I think they could be quicker in working with at-risk players in advance of the abuse, and should be using their relationships with governments and business to pressure platforms into action long before it reaches this point. This isn’t just about trolls hiding behind anonymous accounts. It’s about the systems that allow them to thrive. Social media platforms have repeatedly failed to prevent the kind of racist toxicity players like Jess Carter are exposed to. Clubs, sponsors and broadcasters say the right things when a scandal breaks. But acknowledging racism isn’t the same as accepting it. The tools may have changed but the responsibility on everyone to act is more urgent than ever. Maybe it’s time the FA faced sanctions if they repeatedly fail to take more preventative action (Picture: Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Images) Because it seems like there is no real accountability, no consequences and no urgency. Because there’s no real consequences, not for the abusers who seem to get off scott free, not for the platforms that amplify them and not for the institutions that keep failing to protect players. That has to change. Maybe it’s time the FA faced sanctions if they repeatedly fail to take more preventative action. Maybe it’s time social media companies were fined, or even banned from allowing people to post during and about live tournaments if they can’t protect the players who make the game what it is. The consequences must finally matter otherwise the abuse will never stop. Football must use its collective power to hold social media companies to account (Picture: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images) I understand the Lionesses’ frustration on the endless statements and the lack of progress. But I don’t agree with the decision to stop taking the knee. The symbolism from players themselves was never the problem. It should have been backed by action and change and that’s what’s missing – I think they should still show fans that enough is enough by kneeling pre-match. It should never come to the point where a player feels they have to step back from social media to protect their mental health. Carter is not the first player to have to withdraw from the online space but I hope she is the last. Football must use its collective power to hold social media companies to account. Governments, regulators and tech platforms all have a role to play but they must act with urgency, not performative concern. Comment nowDo you think the FA should face sanctions over racism? Have your say in the comments belowComment Now If we truly care about tackling racism in football, the work must be constant and proactive, not just reactive when headlines break and players plead for help. We don’t need PR moments. We don’t need platitudes. We need robust action. For Carter, an experienced leader, and for younger players coming through. When I think about the future of football, I think about Michelle Agyemang, just 19 years old and lighting up a major tournament. I think about the weight she shouldn’t have to carry. About the euphoria and excitement she deserves to feel; unburdened, unafraid. Pure Black girl joy. She deserves a game where one misstep doesn’t become an open goal for abuse. Yes, the digital landscape has changed but that only makes the need for meaningful change more urgent. Football reflects society. But it can also reshape it. And I believe it still can. But only with action, not just words. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. Share your views in the comments below.