England match at Under-15 World Cup abandoned after walk-off over alleged racism

England match at Under-15 World Cup abandoned after walk-off over alleged racism

FIFA statement issued after incident

England under-15s walk off during World Cup match after alleged racist slur

England's under-15 squad walked off during their World Cup match against Ireland over an alleged racist slur. Head coach Matt Thorpe took his side off in Azerbaijan in the 40th minute after an accusation against an Irish opponent. One of the Young Lions reportedly claimed an opponent had called him a "monkey" just after the England youngster pushed him in the back. The accusation was immediately disputed from the Irish dugout, with a member of their backroom team shouting "no, he didn't" as the English player protested. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say A heated verbal exchange followed between the two sets of coaching staff on the sidelines. The young player made his way to the England bench and stood by the touchline while Thorpe engaged in discussion with the fourth official. Just as the match appeared set to restart, the England manager decided to order his entire team off the pitch. GB News has contacted Fifa, the Football Association and the Irish Football Association for comment. LATEST SPORTS NEWS Bruno Fernandes dropped by Man Utd for Bournemouth clash after Michael Carrick swipe Mark Chapman sparks concern among Match of the Day viewers after subdued BBC appearance Premier League talking points as Carrick on the brink, Emery's masterclass and Spurs stun Chelsea Prior to the Ireland fixture, England had enjoyed a dominant run in the experimental eight-a-side competition, winning three games from three. Ireland sat second in the group, separated only by goal difference heading into the encounter. When the flashpoint happened, Ireland were winning 4-1. Thorpe's side are scheduled to return to action at 4:45pm for their concluding group fixture against Zimbabwe. This is not the first time an England youth fixture has been halted by allegations of racism. The under-17s saw their friendly win over Venezuela halted on two occasions last year after several players faced accusations of racial abuse. Fifa operates a three-step protocol for addre