Zack Steffen throws his weight behind anti-racism project

Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen has helped launch an anti-racism project in the United States which creator Common Goal wants to expand to Britain and the rest of the world.

The global social impact collective, which has the likes of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Manchester United player Juan Mata and women’s team manager Casey Stoney, and Chelsea forward Timo Werner among its members, has set up the Anti-Racist Project.

It involves a groundbreaking coalition with Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, second-tier side Oakland Roots, new National Women’s Soccer League side Angel City, former USA international Tony Sanneh and the American Outlaws, the USA national team supporters’ group.

The project aims to fund and implement anti-racist training for players, coaches, fans, club staff and executives from grassroots to elite level.

Steffen, one of the first players to pledge his individual support for the project, said: “There’s been so much talk over the last months about racism in soccer and beyond, and enough is enough. It’s time to take action.

“We need to show people how to be anti-racist. I wanted to join this project because it is the kind of collective action necessary to make large-scale change.

“I hope that this project will go worldwide and create a new culture of inclusion in as many countries as possible.”

Common Goal’s Evan Whitfield, a former MLS player turned lawyer, said the platform they were putting together would enable those closest to the problem to drive the solution.

“Racism affects people differently in different parts of the world. In England there will be subtleties I am not aware of so our network, which is vast and comprehensive, will be able to address that,” he told the PA news agency.

“We do see this expanding outside the borders of the United States to address the particular issues in each home country.”