England's Black players shine in penalty victory, Ferdinand applauds

The England national team defeated Switzerland in a penalty shootout and advanced to the semi-finals of Euro 2024. This success was significantly bolstered by the contributions of Black players, prompting Rio Ferdinand to commend them on social media.

On Saturday, 6 July, the complete line-up for the Euro 2024 semi-finals was confirmed. Spain will compete against France for a spot in the grand final, while England will face the Netherlands. Thus, some exciting matches are on the horizon.

The French and English teams advanced to the next stage of the European Championship through penalty shootouts. Initially, England was on the back foot, trailing 0-1 in their match against Switzerland. However, five minutes after conceding, Bukayo Saka equalised.

The black players of the Three Lions became heroes. In the penalty shootout, four Black players—Saka, Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and white footballer Cole Palmer—scored goals.

However, in 2021, there was a backlash against England's Black players, specifically Saka, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford. This trio missed penalties in the shootout during the European Championship final against Italy.

Rio Ferdinand has not forgotten that situation. The legendary defender for the England national team and Manchester United took to social media to call out those who had previously attacked these players.

- Where are the racists now? Probably still celebrating! - said the 45-year-old on his official profile on X.