Compared even to the much-maligned Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola is generally considered the most contemptible of football's "super" agents.
A 'shitbag' according to Alex Ferguson, the man who represents Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Verratti among others has been recently discussing some of the barely palatable elements of his business.
Although Raiola is often seen as little more than a money-hungry, Machiavellian kind of figure, an interview with a Swedish newspaper has allowed the Italian born agent speak out against the 'world's bastards'.
Claiming that 'football is the most democratic sport [and] must be the same for all', Raiola opened up about the shadow racism left hanging over the sport:
People say there is no discrimination in football? Black players are constantly discriminated against. There is conscious discrimination. It comes from this world's bastards.
There is also unaware discrimination. We think we think correctly, but we have stereotypes which we justify. When people ask me about a black player they always ask: 'Is he like ...?' And then they compare him to another player.
Is he like Pogba? Is he like Balotelli? Is he like Lukaku? I never hear any question: Is he like the Toivonven? Or is he like Ibra? Or is he like Beckham?
Discussing the difficulties black players inherently face, Raiola was adamant that 'they become stereotypes instantly.'
Having to do even more to succeed compared to their white counterparts, Raiola's extensive awareness of football from the grassroots up would lead one to believe he has some authority on the subject.
Discussing the experience of a prominent client of his Romelu Lukaku, Raiola identified a player who had always had problems overcoming such stereotypes:
I was talking to his mother. Eventually she went to youth matches with [his] birth certificate. She always ended up with other parents who did not think he was 12 or 14 years old.
He was bigger and physically strong, yes. But they screamed that [he] was not in the right age. So she took the birth certificate. He was born in Belgium, but they spread false reports he had been born in Africa. 'Here it is', she said.
Demonstrating a level of sincerity and concern that we can rarely identify in Raiola, his 'no nonsense' approach to discussing and dissecting this heinous issue will hopefully have some positive effects.
