On 4 August 2020, England international Danny Rose expressed his disappointment that it took the death of George Floyd to spark the Black Lives Matter movement, stating that racism has been an issue for years.
As a 30-year-old defender, Rose has been subject to racist chants throughout his career, including a recent incident during an England match in Montenegro.
Since Floyd's death in May, anti-racism protests have been held in many countries, and footballers in England have taken the knee with 'Black Lives Matter' emblazoned on their shirts.
Speaking on The Second Captain's podcast, Rose reflected on the limited efforts to address racism in football, saying, 'Before the incident with George Floyd in America, one day in a year we wear 'Kick It Out' racism t-shirts.'
He emphasized that this was not enough to effectively combat racism, stating, 'It is just a crying shame that a man had to lose his life in the way he did for this movement having to happen.'
Rose also shared his personal experiences of racial discrimination, including being stopped by police while driving and being asked to prove his right to be in first-class train carriages.
He expressed frustration with the lack of understanding and empathy from some people, saying, 'Whenever I do say things or complain, you do hear people say, 'Well you're on this money so just get on with it.'
