Liverpool forward Divock Origi has opened up on the first time he experienced racism in football and the joy of now seeing multi-culturalism in football dressing rooms.
Speaking as part of the Premier League’s No Room For Racism campaign, Origi has recalled how he experienced discrimination on account of the colour of his skin for the first time when he was a teenager.
The Belgium international, who is of Kenyan descent, has recalled how he felt “belittled” by the abuse he received by a parent of an opponent.
The Reds forward also opened up on the scale of impact it had on him afterwards and how he has experienced discrimination on account of the colour of his skin “a couple of times” during his playing career.
“We had a game away and one of the parents racially abused me because I was having a good game and I was playing against his son," Origi said.
“He was saying very hurtful stuff and I remember breaking down after the game, crying. Not knowing where it comes from because it was from a grown man.
“I couldn't understand why that would happen to me; it was horrible. I broke down, like totally broke down. I couldn't play anymore because it hurt me right to the core.
“I felt belittled, I felt ashamed. Even my team-mates, just looked on like woah, what just happened? It had quite a big impact on me.”
The Premier League has thrown its backing behind the Black Lives Matter movement and Origi has been taken back by the “beautiful sign” of seeing players being so united in kneeling before games.
“You see Brazilians, you see people from Guinea, you see English people,” he said. “You see everything and it comes together in one dressing room.
“The interaction is very funny! Sadio [Mane] comes in traditional Senegalese clothing, which I love. Then you can see Robbo [Andrew Robertson], he's very Scottish and you can see his influences.
“We all come together and speak the language of football, and that's what makes it so beautiful!”
Before Origi concluded on Africa’s influence on football: “It’s the swagger that we bring to the game. The athleticism. The joy, you know, African culture is very joyful. We like to express ourselves through music, dancing and creativity.
“I think those are all things that we try to bring to the game and it’s what makes the game even more beautiful because it has many different aspects.”
