Racism in football: Display against AfD MP causes excitement!

Racism in football: Display against AfD MP causes excitement!

On July 5, 2025, an incident causes excitement in the German football world and beyond. The leader of the left in Saxony-Anhalt, Eva von Angern, has made an advertisement against an AfD MP. Meanwhile, he criticized by a comment published on platform X, which referred to an older photo of the German women's football team. In his contribution, he noticed that "there were no black footballers in the team" and used a racist term that was perceived as extremely disrespectful and repulsive in the general public. Angern clearly spoke out against such statements and emphasized the need to decide racism. The AfD faction, in turn, said that the facts were discussed internally and considered it to be done on the occasion of the deletion of the comment, which the discussion cannot pacify.

What many do not know: racism is an issue that is anchored not only in football in connection with statements by individual politicians, but also in many social facets. Racist fake news and anti-Muslim agitation are increasingly circulating around the European Championship. In social media, especially on platforms such as Tikkot, X and Telegram, videos are widespread that show a prayer room in the Fanzone Berlin. This is incorrectly presented as a space exclusively for Muslims. In fact, however, this prayer room is cross -denominational and is open to all religions. In this regard, Lukas Blaß, sustainability manager of cultural projects Berlin, emphasizes that relaxation rooms for breastfeeding mothers, the elderly and seekers of the sun are also provided.

racism in football - a persistent problem

These incidents are not to be considered isolated. Racist and anti -Muslim agitations are particularly increasing during major events such as the European Championship. The German national team is also faced with criticism of its composition. Players like Antonio Rüdiger are given allegations on social media who draw a connection to his expression during Ramadan. Rüdiger, who caused discussions with an Instagram post, is accused of using religious motives-allegations that the UEFA and he vehemently reject. They emphasize that the raised index finger is one of the typical celebrations in football.

At the same time, the football professional Jude Bellingham expresses his frustration about the lack of commitment of the associations in the fight against racism. While the German national soccer team is praised for their integration, there are always reports on racist incidents that cause great damage. An example of this is Chelsea FC, whose players Lauren James and Nicholas Jackson were also confronted with discriminatory statements.

The role of the associations and the need for changes

To tackle the racism problem in football, initiatives such as the anti-racism campaign "Football time is the best time against racism" by the DFB. This campaign is particularly aimed at local amateur associations, which act as the first point of contact for young migrants and refugees. However, a study shows that structural racism and "color blindness" are still present in professional football. The reality shows that many players come from ethnic minorities in the Bundesliga, but they are strongly underrepresented in decision structures. This was also underlined by the increase in reported discrimination cases.

The discussion about racism in football is extensive and shows that it is time to become active together. The stadium bans and other strict punishments could be seen as effective measures. But the really decisive thing remains: Without rethinking the structures and a comprehensive educational strategy, little will change in this problem.