Former Real Madrid Star Says Lionel Messi Hurled Racial Slur at Him
During his Barcelona career, Lionel Messi had several heated outings against Real Madrid. He grew on-pitch rivalry with several Los Blancos stars.
One former Real Madrid player has now claimed that Messi once hurled a racial slur at him. The player in question is Royston Drenthe. The incident in question, though, took place during a game between Hercules and Barcelona.
Drenthe, who played as a left-back, was known for his eye-catching skills on the pitch. Apart from Los Merengues, he also played Hercules, Real Murcia, and Racing Murcia in Spanish football.
In a recent podcast appearance (h/t AS) , Drenthe brought up an incident during a game between Hercules and Barcelona in 2010-11. He said about Lionel Messi:
In a match when I was at Hércules, against Barça, Messi called me a ******* black man. Afterwards he told me that the Argentine players called each other ******* black men, for them it was a normal thing, for example they would say it to Garay and he didn’t care, but they have to understand that a boy like me didn’t like it.Royston Drenthe
Lionel Messi is known for his calm and collected character on the pitch. However, there have been occasions when the Argentine has lost his cool.
Drenthe, meanwhile, made 65 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring four goals and providing five assists. With Los Blancos also having Marcelo, his career didn't blossom in the Spanish capital.
Despite Drenthe's inevitable talent, he never really fulfilled his potential. Apart from his career in Spain, Drenthe played for clubs like Feyenoord, Everton, and more. He also made one appearance for the Dutch national team. The full-back hung up his boots in 2023, with Dutch amateur club Kozakken Boys being his last club.
Drenthe's recent revelation, however, could potentially stir the pot.
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Apratim is an experienced sports journalist having covered European and World Football, Combat Sports, Olympic Sports, and more for online media publications like Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, and more. He is currently an MSc. in Sport Marketing student at Loughborough University, London.