truth_hurts
but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
What about Giroud? He was just a big lump despite playing for Arsenal and France, it was the black players around him at French level who were lauded as the great footballers.
Robertson at Liverpool is mainly praised for getting up and down despite him offering more. TAA gets his fair dues for attacking contributions. What about Mane? Rarely you see him described as a “pacy winger” or something, he’s considered an all round fabulous footballer.
What about say Brazilian footballers? Most are generally rated as great pure footballers. I have never seen guys like Silva, Marcelo, Alves, Neymar, Fernandinho, Fabinho, Marquinhos, all black or mixed, being praised for anything other than their football skills and reading of the game.
Issues exist, not as deep rooted as some of you make out though.
You're confusing the role these players are playing for their team with racial stereotypes. TAA and Robertson are tasked in their system for getting up and down the pitch as would be Tierney and Bellerin for us (to a lower standard) - their physical contribution is an obvious reference point.
Giroud was a target man for Arsenal, so his aerial ability and strength again are obvious attributes to reference. I never felt as though Giroud wasn't respected technically by non-gooners. I don't feel like there are stereotypes to being a white striker or full back, but black-African midfield and straight away you're thinking power house or DM. It's typecasting.
In football terms, Brazilian players are treated as a different breed and they carry their own stereotypes. Can you not remember Gilberto being rendered to 'as not being very Brazilian?' Also when arguably the greatest footballer of time is a dark-skinned, black Brazilian it isn't that shocking that black and Brazilian is held to a slightly different standard.
Mbappe's first attribute mentioned is nearly always pace, yet he's closer to the technical excellence of a Suarez or R9 than a Walcott or Agbonlahor.