Mathys Tel Targeted With Racist Abuse After UEFA Super Cup Final

The UEFA Super Cup final in Udine delivered high drama on Wednesday night as Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain battled to a thrilling 2–2 draw over 90 minutes. Spurs twice took the lead through Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero , but PSG hit back with goals from Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos to force penalties. The French champions ultimately triumphed 4–3 in the shootout, securing their first Super Cup title since 1997.

Abuse Overshadows The Night

Instead of celebrating a hard-fought contest, post-match discussions were marred by a wave of online racist abuse aimed at Tottenham’s 20-year-old forward Mathys Tel. The French striker, who joined Spurs from Bayern Munich this summer, became a target on social media after missing his penalty in the decisive shootout.

Tottenham’s Strong Response

In a statement released on Thursday morning, Tottenham condemned the abuse in the strongest terms:

“We are disgusted by the racist abuse directed at Mathys Tel following last night’s match. Those responsible are cowards. We will work with the relevant authorities and social media companies to ensure that appropriate action is taken.”

The club also reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance toward discrimination and pledged to support Tel through the incident.

Kick It Out Calls For Action

Anti-racism organisation Kick It Out described the incident as another example of the toxic targeting of Black players after high-pressure moments. “Once again, we are seeing Black players bear the brunt of online abuse after a penalty miss. Platforms must step up and enforce their own rules. Abusers need to face real consequences,” a spokesperson said.

Not The First Time For Tel

This is not the first time Tel has been targeted in such a way. In August 2023, while still at Bayern Munich, he received racist messages following the German Super Cup defeat to RB Leipzig. Bayern condemned that abuse at the time, and the player has previously spoken about the emotional toll of such attacks.

For now, Tottenham, UEFA, and anti-racism bodies are working to track down the individuals responsible, while Tel continues preparations for the Premier League opener under the cloud of an all-too-familiar issue in the sport.

Broader Football Problem

Tel’s case echoes a troubling pattern in football, where high-profile incidents — particularly around missed penalties have led to Black players becoming targets. England internationals Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka faced similar abuse after Euro 2020. Despite repeated campaigns, clubs, authorities, and advocacy groups say progress in holding offenders accountable remains slow.