Noussair Mazraoui
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui
Manchester United have released a statement to the Manchester Evening News after the club were said to have ditched plans to walk out in pro-LGBTQ+ Adidas jackets ahead of Sunday’s match with Everton after Noussair Mazraoui reportedly refused to wear one.
First-team players have worn pride-themed apparel during the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces week for the past two seasons during the warm-up and for the pre-match walk-out. However, such plans this year were scrapped after Mazraoui apparently told teammates he would not take part.
The Athletic claims the £15million summer recruit told teammates he would be refusing to wear the jacket due to his Muslim faith. The team are thought to have made the decision to abandon the jackets just hours before kick-off.
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The report says Adidas, with whom United have a £900m 10-year sponsorship deal, are disappointed by the decision, with not everyone inside the changing room content with the outcome either. All of these claims have yet to be verified.
In a statement to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United said: “Manchester United welcomes fans from all backgrounds, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we are strongly committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion.
“We demonstrate these principles through a range of activities, including support for our Rainbow Devils supporters’ club, and campaigns to celebrate our LGBTQ+ fans and combat all forms of discrimination.
“Players are entitled to hold their own individual opinions, particularly in relation to their faith, and these may sometimes differ from the club’s position.”
Captain Bruno Fernandes was seen wearing the rainbow armband during the match as part of the Rainbow Laces campaign, held this year between November 29 and December 5. Meanwhile, a number of first-team members from both the men’s and women’s squads took part in video content showing their support for the campaign.
LGBTQ+ United fan group Rainbow Devils, established in 2019, released a statement on Wednesday in response to the Mazraoui reports.
The statement said: “We respect the right of this player to have his own views, whilst also feeling disappointed that he put the rest of the squad into a position where they felt that they couldn’t wear their jackets.
“We also worry what kind of negative effect this incident might have on any player at the club who may be struggling with their sexuality.
“Rainbow Devils will continue to work with Manchester United to support inclusivity, through the One Love initiative and others, as we all continue our work to ensure all LGBTQ+ people feel safe and welcome at Old Trafford, both on and off the pitch.”
Mazraoui was previously criticised by a section of Bayern Munich fans in Germany regarding his stance on LGBTQ+ matters. During a match in May 2023, some supporters held up a banner which read: ‘All colours are beautiful. In Toulouse, Munich and everywhere. Respect our values Mazraoui!’
This latest report comes after Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy refused to wear the rainbow armband in games against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace this week, citing his Muslim faith.
Palace skipper and devout Christian Marc Guehi wrote ‘I [heart] Jesus’ on his rainbow armband against Newcastle United on Saturday. He was reminded by the FA about rules regarding displaying religious messages but wrote ‘Jesus [heart] you’ on his armband against Ipswich on Tuesday.