Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk says England’s players ‘should be proud’ of the way they handled racist abuse from Bulgaria fans during Tuesday night’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia.
That match was stopped twice, in line with Uefa protocol, as the home fans targeted England players, including Raheem Sterling and debutant Tyrone Mings.
The fallout has so far seen four Bulgarian fans receive fines and two-year bans, while national team manager Krasimir Balakov resigned on Friday.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was among those prominently involved in discussions with officials and England boss Gareth Southgate over the incidents, and Van Dijk says both he and his teammates dealt with the situation admirably.
“I didn’t speak to the boys yet but they handled it pretty well,” Van Dijk told the BBC. “It must be very tough to be in that situation, and the boys who experienced it should be proud of the way they handled it.
“They could have obviously reacted in a really different way as well. Now it’s up to the people who decide what happens to make a decision, but it’s very sad to see.
“We have to get it out of this world because in the world we live in it shouldn’t be allowed and it’s sad to see that there’s still these things happening.”
