Emre Can said that he has personally never experienced racism in Italy, but said that better education is required to stop the “idiots who do such things”.
A number of racist incidents have taken place across the footballing world this season, with Italian football facing issues following the abuse targeting Kalidou Koulibaly and Moise Kean.
In England, Raheem Sterling has led the charge for footballers alongside England team-mate Danny Rose, after incidents both in Premier League play and while with the national team
And Can sees racism as a global problem, one which needs to be addressed on a large scale.
“Personally for me I’ve never [experienced racism in Italy],” Can told DAZN / Goal .
“Of course you hear about it often and I think it’s a shame, because every human being is equal, no matter which colour his skin or his hair is.
“Those are just idiots who do such things. I think it happens all over the world and you can’t say it happens only in Italy.
“It’s a shame, honestly, a big shame.”
Can says it is easy to point blame at people’s actions, but the Juventus star says there needs to be a systemic change.
The midfielder says children need better education on a variety of issues, and that will make the world a better place for all involved.
“A few days ago I heard an interview of Freiburg manager Christian Streich and he said something very intelligent.
“The children today are not to blame. The people who let them grow up like that are to blame, meaning us all.
“When we were young it just wasn’t like it is today, but a 10-year-old kid doesn’t buy a smartphone on his own, his parents buy it.
“I think education has to change again. Kids have to climb on trees sometimes or get injured while playing.
“That’s how you get mature and back then my mom ranted at me when I had too much laundry, because I had mud everywhere on my clothes. But it’s just like that, I was on the streets.
“Thank god for me it was like go play in the streets at 10am and come back home when it was dark outside. Luckily I lived these days and it was the most beautiful time for me.
Can also added that he thinks the rise of social media has played a part while also proving a negative stressor for footballers playing at a high level.
The German says there is pressure on everyone, not just footballers, to stand out on social media, and he says his goal is to stop taking it so seriously going forward.
“[Technology] has become too much, unfortunately. I hope that the people talk more with each other again.
“When you look at people in a restaurant – that counts for myself as well – they are sitting there with their smartphones, watching something on it, so there is no conversation, which is a shame.
“And social media is a fake world. Unfortunately it has become extreme. Also we football players take social media too seriously sometimes, but unfortunately there is no other way nowadays.”
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