BERLIN – The German football association (DFB) on Nov 23 condemned racist abuse directed at members of the Under-17 national team on social media and warned offenders that it could pursue legal action.

The DFB posted a photo of four team members after Germany’s 3-2 win over the United States in the last 16 of the Under-17 World Cup in Indonesia on Nov 21.

But some social media users made a number of racist comments insulting the players in the picture – Charles Herrmann, Almugera Kabar, Paris Brunner and Fayssal Harchaoui – all of whom are non-white.

After the insults, the DFB restricted comments on the post and issued a statement saying: “We are proud of the diversity in our U-17s, who are currently playing their hearts out on the pitch in Indonesia.

“Our commitment to diversity is firmly anchored in the DFB Statutes, as are values of tolerance and respect.

“If you do not share these values, please unfollow us. Discriminatory and racist comments have no place here and will be deleted accordingly. We will take legal action against offensive content.”

Jerome Boateng, 35, who has played for the senior side and was a member of the 2014 World Cup-winning squad, spoke out on X – formerly Twitter – in support of his younger counterparts.

“German junior national players were racially insulted after a win at the World Cup for Germany? In 2023? Are you serious? When will this ever stop?” the centre-back, who is a free agent, posted.

Boateng, a fixture in the Germany side for several years, was subject to similar abuse during his career, and therefore he would understand perfectly what it feels like.

In 2016, then deputy leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party Alexander Gauland said that “people like him as a football player, but they don’t want to have a Boateng as a neighbour”.

Then party leader Frauke Petry later issued an apology on Gauland’s behalf following widespread criticism.

Herrmann, who was named Player of the Match in the victory over the US, told the DFB website after the game that he and his teammates who suffered the abuse will not be too affected by the incident.

“We are like a family, not only on the pitch but also off it, and we will support each other no matter what,” he said.

The side have won all of their matches at the World Cup and booked their semi-final spot after beating Spain 1-0 via a Brunner penalty on Nov 24. AFP