Tottenham Hotspur have strongly condemned the racist abuse directed at forward Mathys Tel following the club’s UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 20-year-old French forward, who came on as a substitute in the 79th minute, was one of two Spurs players who missed in the penalty shootout, which ended in a 4-3 loss after Spurs had surrendered a 2-0 lead.
In a powerful statement, the club said:
“Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards — hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views.”
Tottenham added that they are working with authorities and social media platforms to identify the individuals responsible and take the “strongest possible action.”
“We stand with you, Mathys,” the statement concluded.
The incident adds to growing concerns over online abuse in football. Just last month, England defender Jess Carter revealed she had been targeted with racist abuse during Euro 2025. In response, the Lionesses decided to stop taking the knee before matches, saying it was clear that football needed to explore new ways to combat racism.
Carter also expressed fears that her teammate Lauren James could have faced “astronomical” abuse had she been the only England player to miss a penalty in their quarter-final shootout loss to Sweden.
Online abuse has become a disturbing trend in sports beyond football. In June, tennis player Katie Boulter said death threats and hate messages had become “the norm” for athletes, prompting renewed calls for action from social media companies.
Spurs’ Painful Collapse
Tottenham appeared to be on the verge of another trophy, leading 2-0 until the 84th minute. But PSG mounted a dramatic comeback, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring a 94th-minute equalizer to send the game to penalties.
Micky van de Ven saw his effort saved, and Tel’s shot went wide, allowing PSG’s Nuno Mendes to score the decisive penalty.
Tel, who joined Spurs permanently in June for a reported £30 million after an initial loan spell, made 20 appearances last season and was part of the squad that won the Europa League final against Manchester United.
