Patrice Evra speaks out on racist abuse and how to combat it, which was met with a torrent of abuse from fans of Manchester United.
He says racism has affected the way he conducts himself as a player
The former France international was one of Manchester United’s greatest players
Patrice Evra has spoken out for the first time since being subjected to a torrent of racist abuse, and was met with a stream of abuse from his own fans.
The now-retired captain made the shocking revelation during an emotional interview on The Times’ Red Nose Day podcast.
As he recalled his playing days on Sunday, Evra told how racism had affected the way he conducted himself.
Evra described the racism he faced as “disgusting”, but explained he had been used to it since he was a child.
He said: “In the playground, all the kids will call each other ‘monkey’ or ‘pig’. In the street, they will say, ‘Cunt’, [the players] will walk around with their head down.
“In France, the kids will say things like ‘Viva Evra’, which is a huge honour for me.
“In Belgium it’s the same. There’s no football in Belgium. Just the fans. The kids will say things like ‘I hope this club goes to the Premier League’.”
Evra was born in Grenoble and said racism had affected the way he behaves: “It makes you think about the situation. You’re just ashamed, and people who are in the situation don’t like it.
“People tell you, ‘What? We should talk?’ and the answer is no. Because you’ve never done it.
“When you talk about it, you understand that it’s a sensitive subject and everyone has their own way. Everybody has their own way.”
But Evra revealed there was one incident that made a big impression on him, which could have influenced the way he has conducted himself throughout his career.
Speaking in the wake of this horrendous attack, Evra said: “The most important moment was when [Borussia Dortmund midfielder] Jadon Sancho sent