July 9 – Players raised gloved right fists and took a knee before Major League Soccer’s first match in four months on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
The players wore black T-shirts, black gloves and black facemasks emblazoned with Black Lives Matter at the so-called MLS is Back Tournament opener in Orlando, Florida.
The demonstration lasted eight minutes and 46 seconds, the exact amount of time officers sat on the neck of George Floyd, whose death in late May sparked global protests.
“It was very emotional at the beginning. It was beautiful to see all the players come together on the field like that as one,” Inter Miami striker and US international Juan Agudelo said after the match.
“Being on the field, it was very powerful. I put my fist up, and to be there with so many people that are trying to make a change in this country, and that’s what we need to do — not even for us but for our kids — kind of evolve as humans.”
Orlando winger Nani echoed his Miami counterparts.
“We all know we want to change the world. We want a better world, in which people look to each other without any difference, with no discrimination for colour or nationality,” he said.
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