Inter midfielder Christian Eriksen disagreed with the belief of Morten Messerschmidt, the vice-president of the Danish People’s Party, that sport and politics shouldn’t be mixed in an interview after Denmark’s Nations League clash against Belgium. His words were noted by Italian media outlet FcInterNews.
“I do not see why it should be a problem of any kind. We should all support the fight against all forms of racism. And if we can create a little more attention on the subject, then I think we can do it.”
The Denmark squad knelt down yesterday before the game, making a stand on the current issues surrounding race and Black Lives Matter across the western world. Anti-racism gestures are commonplace in modern football, with armbands or patches often present. Several sportsmen and women knelt down during the games in memory of the African-Americans killed by the U.S. police, which has drawn widespread criticism and protest.
Inter striker Romelu Lukaku was at the centre of multiple racist incidents during his debut season in Serie A, such as when Cagliari fans made monkey noises and gestures toward him as he went to take a penalty against the Rossoblu in August of last year.