Former Ghanaian midfielder reflects on past experiences and offers advice to players

Former Ghana international Sulley Muntari has opened up about his painful experiences with racism in football, expressing hope that the issue will one day be eradicated from the sport.

Muntari, who played in top European leagues, notably faced racial abuse during his time in Italy’s Serie A with Pescara. One of the most distressing incidents occurred in a match against Cagliari, where, instead of receiving support from officials after reporting the abuse, he was shown a yellow card. Frustrated, he walked off the pitch in protest.

Reflecting on the challenges of tackling racism in football, the 40-year-old shared his perspective in an interview with Sportsblog247.com:

“They can’t deal with racism in Italy. It’s going to be like this for a long time unless they act in a very strict way. In England, you can be suspended or jailed for racism, but even with that, it still exists. It’s human nature; it’s how some people feel about us.”

Despite his difficult experiences, Muntari encouraged current players to stay focused on their careers:

“As a player, I think you don’t have to pay attention to it. If you’re playing football, you go on to do just that. If you’re working, you go on to do just that. Wherever you are, just focus on what you do and don’t let someone get to you. Sometimes, people bring their frustration to you.”

Now looking back with a different perspective, he admitted, “If I knew at that time, I would have handled things differently. I was young, so I would fight back. That being said, I’m hoping one day racism will stop.”

Muntari made history as the African player with the most Serie A appearances (270 games) until fellow Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah broke the record in 2021. He also represented Ghana in three consecutive World Cups—2006 (Germany), 2010 (South Africa), and 2014 (Brazil).

Despite retiring from professional football, Muntari remains a voice for change, using his platform to highlight the ongoing fight against racism in the sport.