Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho Hits Out at Racist Abuse: 'It Just Has to Stop'

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has called on supporters to stop aiming racist abuse at footballers.

The 19-year-old's comments come after Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was racially abused by Cagliari fans on Sunday.

Per the Daily Mail's Dominic King, Sancho said:

"It just has to stop. No player wants to play football and have abuse like that. It puts the confidence down in players and the love of the sport will go very soon if it doesn't stop. Everyone should be happy and do what they are doing without receiving racial abuse."

Lukaku is the latest high-profile footballer to suffer such abuse this season.

Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford and Chelsea's Tammy Abraham have also been abused on social media after missing penalties for their sides.

Blues defender Kurt Zouma was abused after he scored an own goal in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Sheffield United on Sunday.

Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out released a statement:

"I don't think it is social media," Sancho added. The Dortmund starlet urged fans to remember players are "still only human" and suggested there is a perception among some supporters that footballers' fame makes them immune to abuse.

"We just love the sport and just want to play," he continued. "It is hard to see things like this because it feels like 'why should we play football?' I felt that Romelu Lukaku handled it really well by not reacting and carrying on playing."

Lukaku took to Instagram on Monday to condemn the abuse he received at Cagliari:

Moise Kean was similarly abused by Cagliari supporters while playing for Juventus there in April. Bianconeri midfielder Blaise Matuidi said he was racially abused at the Sardinian club last year, while racist chants were also aimed at Inter's Samuel Eto'o in 2010.

ESPN's Matteo Bonetti called for Cagliari and all clubs to improve their ability to identify and ban those in the stadium abusing players:

Bleacher Report's Rob Blanchette gave his take on what can be done to tackle the issue online:

According to Martyn Ziegler of The Times, Twitter will monitor the accounts of around 50 high-profile black footballers in its efforts to combat abuse.

The social media platform is also being more "proactive" in reviewing racist tweets, where previously it would only do so when they had been reported.