A cartoon depicting footballer Paul Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola, published by sports website Goal.com, has drawn huge criticism on Twitter for being racist.
The illustration features young footballer Pogba sitting with his agent, enjoying the riches the pair have won as part of Man United’s record signing of the young Frenchman.
Not only is Pogba drawn in something closely resembling blackface caricature, he is also hovering in a bubble over various depictions of turmoil faced in the world – such as poverty, displaced refugees and the Black Lives Matter movement, implying that Pogba is betraying these people by seeking success for himself.
Twitter users have noted that similarly well-paid footballers such as Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi do not face the same level of scrutiny. Others have remarked on the case’s similarity to the specific abuse targeted at Raheem Sterling after England’s shoddy performance at the Euros.
https://twitter.com/_Zeets/status/763715417340772352
https://twitter.com/Ankaman616/status/763730051313594368
Yes, because elite black athletes who were born working-class can't also care about Black Lives Matter. #LeBronJames https://t.co/N0qEcvOza8
— Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) August 11, 2016
Yes, I didn't see Gareth Bale getting this treatment. https://t.co/qWZySSbvv4
— Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) August 11, 2016
