Hasselbaink Reveals Racist Abuse at Atlético Madrid: "I Was the Only One They Spat On!"

Former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink recounted his harsh personal experiences with racism during his time playing for Spanish club Atlético Madrid in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian. The former international player recalled painful memories, describing his feeling of "worthlessness" due to the abuse he endured during that period.

The former Dutch star explained that he was the only player in the team to be spat on by fans, attributing this to being the only Black player in the Madrid club's squad at the time. Hasselbaink stated: "I was the only one they spat on, and in fact, I was the only Black player in the team." He added that this type of abuse "makes you feel useless, as if you are worth nothing," a feeling that accompanied him due to the lack of necessary support.

Hasselbaink bitterly pointed to the lack of assistance during these incidents, saying: "No one helped me." This experience has driven him, in his current role as director of a digital platform dedicated to reporting abuses in football, to demand deterrent penalties, most notably banning fans involved in racist acts from stadiums for life. He emphasized the necessity of taking firm measures to protect players from repeating these experiences.

In a related context of the escalating phenomenon of racism, data from the UK Football Policing Unit shows a 115% increase in social media abuse complaints. Brazilian player Vinicius Jr. is cited as one of the most prominent current figures facing such violations, reinforcing Hasselbaink's calls for a firm stand against this phenomenon that continues to plague athletes.