Bayern Munich's rising talent Mathys Tel has become the latest footballer to suffer vile online abuse following a missed penalty in a pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur.
The 18-year-old French forward, who joined Bayern last summer, saw his spot-kick saved by Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario during Wednesday's match in Singapore. Shortly after the game, Tel's social media accounts were flooded with racist messages and hateful comments.
Bayern Munich swiftly condemned the abuse in an official statement: "FC Bayern strongly condemns the racist comments being directed at Mathys Tel. There's no place for racism or discrimination in football or society. We stand with Mathys and all those who face such abhorrent behaviour."
The incident highlights football's ongoing battle against online abuse, particularly targeting young players of colour. Tel, considered one of Europe's most promising talents, had been enjoying an impressive pre-season before Wednesday's match.
Tottenham Hotspur also released a statement supporting Tel: "We stand with Mathys Tel against any form of discrimination. This behaviour has no place in our game."
Football authorities and social media platforms continue to face pressure to implement stronger measures against online abuse. This latest incident comes just weeks after several Premier League stars spoke out about receiving similar hate messages.
