Tottenham Hotspur have spoken out strongly against the racist abuse aimed at their forward Mathys Tel following their heartbreaking loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.
The north London club, who lost 4-3 on penalties after giving up a two-goal lead, called the abuse “disgusting” and described those sending hateful messages to Tel on social media as “nothing but cowards.”
Tel, 20, came on as a substitute late in the game and was one of two Spurs players who missed their penalty in the shootout. Tottenham praised him for his courage in stepping up to take a penalty and condemned the attackers for hiding behind anonymous accounts to spread their vile messages.
The club promised to work closely with authorities and social media platforms to take strong action against anyone responsible for the abuse. Tottenham also showed their full support for Tel, saying “We stand with you, Mathys.”
Fellow Spurs striker Dominic Solanke also voiced his frustration on social media, calling the abuse “pathetic” and praising Tel’s bravery. “Anyone can miss a penalty,” Solanke said. “Big up bro for taking one.”
This incident comes amid a wider conversation about racism in football. Recently, England defender Jess Carter revealed she faced racist abuse during Euro 2025, which led the Lionesses to stop the gesture of taking a knee before matches, saying new ways must be found to fight racism.
Historically, players like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka have also faced racist abuse after missing penalties for England, highlighting how black players often fear taking penalties because of potential backlash.
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out criticized the lack of accountability from both offenders and social media companies, calling for stronger measures to protect players’ welfare. They emphasized that the mental health and safety of players like Mathys Tel must be a priority.
Social media abuse is a widespread problem across sports. Earlier this year, tennis player Katie Boulter and others spoke out about receiving threatening messages regularly, urging platforms to take action.
The Premier League has also been proactive, removing over 1,500 abusive posts last season with help from a specialist support team and law enforcement. They have confirmed that players will take the knee in select matches this October to reaffirm their commitment to fighting discrimination.
The gesture of taking the knee gained prominence in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd in the US, and Premier League players adopted it widely following the Covid-19 shutdown. Since 2022, it has been performed at specific moments rather than every game.
In the dramatic Super Cup match, Tottenham led 2-0 until PSG mounted a late comeback, equalizing in stoppage time. Spurs defender Micky van de Ven had his penalty saved, and Mathys Tel missed his, allowing PSG’s Nuno Mendes to seal the win.
Tel, who joined Tottenham permanently for about £30 million in June after a loan spell, played 20 times last season and scored three goals. He was also part of the squad for Tottenham’s Europa League final win over Manchester United.
