Callum Hudson-Odoi: The disgusting racism in Bulgaria was not right – football is an equal game so we must stay strong

Callum Hudson-Odoi, the Chelsea and England winger, has said he would be in favour of walking off the pitch in response to racist abuse from the stands.

Hudson-Odoi’s first start for the England senior team was overshadowed by racist chanting in Montenegro in May, which the teenager described at the time as “evil”.

Speaking in light of the racist abuse directed towards England players in their European Championships qualifier against Bulgaria this week, Hudson-Odoi has said leaving the field of play is the “right” thing to do provided the team remains unified.

“It is disgusting to hear or see players getting discriminated against,” said Hudson-Odoi, who was in sensational form and scored twice as England under-21s thrashed Austria on Tuesday night.

“It is not right. I say to myself, whenever that happens you have got to stick together as a team, which the boys did [on Monday].

“I am really proud to see the boys stick together and in those situations where they say they would walk off the pitch, it is right because no player should be treated differently.

“We are all equal. It is an equal game so we have all got to stay strong. Stay the same and the boys dealt with it well. Hopefully everything will be sorted properly by Uefa. Everything that happened was obviously not right but we have to stick together as a team and move on from it.”

Hudson-Odoi is still regaining his fitness after suffering an Achilles injury towards the end of last season. He is already in excellent form, though, and is certain to challenge for a place in Gareth Southgate’s senior squad at the next international break.

“I thought to myself as soon as I came back that I just need to get up to speed and get my fitness back. Once that happens, gradually my dribbling and everything will come back to what it was.

“Now I am feeling a bit more confident to get on the ball and do my stuff. As the games go on I will get fitter, get more opportunities to dribble at players and I already feel better now.”

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