5 times footballers had to deal with racism 

Hunter S. Thompson once wrote that humans are the only species that claim the existence of God, but are also the only one that act like there isn't one. Despite coming so far from the cavemen era, we are yet to eradicate something as inscrutable as racism.

In this time and age - where technological and scientific innovations have taken civilisation to a pinnacle - it is astounding that people choose to feel against someone for the colour of their skin. Footballers, who are often treated like Gods, are also not beyond it.

Many a time have we witnessed racism in football and the issue is still not solved - and I doubt it will ever be. However, some footballers responded against it in a manner that will forever be etched in the hearts of many.

And here are 5 such cases:

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#5 Mario Balotelli

Atalanta BC v AC Milan - Serie A

Whenever a list of football mavericks is compiled, Mario Balotelli’s name is almost always there in it. The controversial Italian has had an erratic career and is known more for his off-field antics rather than his talents as a footballer – which is a shame because he was one of the brightest prospects once upon a time.

The criticism he gets is almost always deserved, but nobody deserves to be discriminated on the basis of the colour of her/his skin. For the Italian, being the subject of racist abuse is not a new thing as he has faced the atrocity during his time in Italy.

However, when he faced similar abuse in France during a 1-1 draw against Bastia, he had some burning questions:

“Is it normal that Bastia supporters make monkey noise and ‘uh uh’ for the whole game and no one of the ‘commissions discipline’ say nothing?

“So is racism LEGAL in France? Or only in Bastia? Football is an amazing sport … those people like Bastia supporters make it horrible.”

Indeed, it is, Mario. Indeed it is.

#4 Samuel Eto’o

Eto'o almost walked off in protest against racism

There are many tags to describe the legendary Cameroonian forward. One of them is 'the most successful player produced by the continent of Africa'. The former Barcelona forward has a cabinet full of trophies that include accolades like three Champions League titles, an Olympic Gold medal, and many more.

Another one of them is 'outspoken'. The former Inter forward isn’t one to shy away from speaking his mind, something which has got him into some trouble. However, it is this nature that sparked him to do something beautiful when he was taunted with racist abuse.

After being constantly harassed by a small section of Zaragoza fans in 2006, Eto’o decided to walk away from the pitch as an act of protest. He was, however, stopped and convinced by the players on both sides – and his then manager, Frank Rijkaard – to continue playing, and he obliged in the end.

"I am a coloured guy, and if somebody pays for a ticket to make a monkey noise at me, then I'll act like a monkey," he stated after the game.

"I used to think that these racist shouts were just a phase, but more and more people are getting involved and it is regrettable.

"Sometimes I think: Is something going to happen to my daughter in school?

"We have to stop this because one day you don't know what might happen away from the pitch.”

#3 Kevin-Prince Boateng

Boateng left Italy to escape racism

Another volatile player, Kevin-Prince Boateng, for some period in his career, was one of the most threatening midfielders in the game. His lung-bursting runs from midfield caused havoc against many teams as he became a star in a depleting Milan side.

However, in the end, he had to quit Italy after constantly being tormented by racist fans over the colour of his skin. Things took an ugly turn when he walked off the pitch in a friendly game against Pro Patria after being made the subject of racist abuse.

Six months after this incident, the Ghanaian left AC Milan to join German club, Schalke, in a bid to move away from the terrible acts of racism in Italy.

After his move, the financial director of Schalke, Peters Peters said:

“He absolutely wanted to leave because of the racist incidents in Italy. He had an agreement with president Silvio Berlusconi that he would be able to leave if Milan qualified for the Champions League.”

#2 Marco Zoro

Marco Zoro attempting to leave the pitch as Adriano tries to convince him to stay

Marco Zoro is not among the most popular names in the game. Indeed, you could be forgiven for not knowing his name until this point. However, when it comes to dealing with racism, Marco Zoro was among the first people to fight against it.

Against Inter in a home game, Zoro, playing for Messina, picked up the ball and started walking off the pitch after being the focus of monkey chants from a group of racist Inter supporters. In the end, he had to be persuaded by the members of both the teams to continue playing – and their insistence convinced him to stay on.

After the game, Zoro said:

"I was treated badly and can't have that. Away from home they can do what they want, I'm used to that, but not at my home ground.

"These are people who don't love this game, but they need to learn that we aren't animals and I want some respect.”

#1 Dani Alves

Alves used humour to counter racism

What do you do when you are shown such intense racial disrespect of a banana being thrown at you? A normal person would have avoided the situation or maybe complain to the referee. Not Dani Alves – he is not your average person.

As Alves readied himself to take a corner against Villarreal, someone among a group of home fans threw a banana at him. What he did next was a sight to behold – and something that caused a movement of its own – he simply picked up the banana, peeled it and ate it.

He also sarcastically thanked the fan who threw it at him, claiming that eating the banana gave him strength. He was also of the opinion that humour is the most efficient way to tackle racism.

“We have suffered this in Spain for some time," Alves said. "You have to take it with a dose of humour. We aren't going to change things easily.

"If you don't give it importance, they don't achieve their objective."