Canada's Kaye opens up about graphic racist messages during World Cup run

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of racism and language that some readers may find traumatic.

Canadian national team and Toronto FC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye has opened up about racist messages he had received during the team’s historic 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying run.

In a video and written interview with FIFPro — the worldwide professional soccer players’ association — Kaye opened up about racism received following Canada’s loss to Costa Rica on March 24.

Canada had a chance to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a win over Costa Rica, but fell 1-0. Kaye received a pair of yellow cards just 34 minutes into the game, leaving Canada shorthanded for the rest of the match.

“Someone tweeted at me a photo of men in Ku Klux Klan robes surrounding a burning cross, with the message: 'Never play for Canada ever again.’”

🎥 [🔴REC] @MarkThEwizz 🇨🇦#ShineALight pic.twitter.com/pjhGDx0pQP

— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) November 9, 2022

“That night in Costa Rica, it blew my mind to see the hate I received from social media accounts with Canadian flags in their profiles – the same flag my team-mates and I wear so proudly, the colours we’ve sacrificed so much to represent on the world stage,” Kaye wrote.

Canada qualified officially just three days later, with a 4-0 win over Jamaica at BMO Field, as they eventually finished first place at top of the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, Canada’s first berth in the men’s World Cup in 36 years.

“Now, after we beat Jamaica in the next game following our loss to Costa Rica, Canada is heading to the World Cup. Will those same fans who harassed me in Costa Rica cheer us on in Qatar?”

Kaye said it wasn’t the first time he’s dealt with racist abuse, saying that he’s also received similar messages as a member of LAFC.

“It started with monkey emojis,” Kaye wrote of the messages from this year. “Someone tweeted at me a photo of men in Ku Klux Klan robes surrounding a burning cross, with the message: ‘Never play for Canada ever again. You cocky monkeys are the reason Canada never succeeds.'”

Kaye is expected to be part of Canada’s final World Cup squad, which will be unveiled on November 13.

The full interview with Kaye can be read here.

Upcoming Canada World Cup schedule:

• Bahrain* — November 11, 7:30 am PT/ 10:30 am ET
• Japan* — November 17, 5:40 am PT/ 8:40 am ET
• Belgium — November 23, 11 am PT/ 2 pm ET
• Croatia — November 27, 8 am PT/ 11 am ET
• Morocco — December 1, 7 am PT/ 10 am ET

*pre-tournament

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• How to watch and stream the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Canada