‘I eat bananas a lot… that’s become a thing we laugh about’: Roma starlet Felix Afena-Gyan insists comment made behind camera as Jose Mourinho gifted him a £670 pair of trainers was NOT racist
- Jose Mourinho had promised to buy Felix Afena-Gyan pair of expensive shoes
- Portuguese was true to his word after Ghanaian striker scored twice on Sunday
- The teens brace gave Roma a 2-0 win over Genoa to move up to fifth in Serie A
- Comment that ‘bananas are in there’ was overhead in the background of video
- But Afena-Gyan does not believe there was any racist intent behind comment
Felix Afena-Gyan believes there was no racist intent in a comment overheard when he was gifted a new pair of shoes following his first senior goals for Roma.
Roma’s win against Genoa on Sunday prompted Jose Mourinho to buy 18-year-old goalscorer Afena-Gyan a new pair of shoes worth £670 (€800).
A video of the gifting was shared online and there was a voice in the background, from an as yet unidentified person, who commented ‘there are bananas inside’.
Felix Afena-Gyan was given the shoes Jose Mourinho promised him after his brace
Mourinho was filmed with the young star opening the box but there was supposedly an unidentified voice in the background saying ‘there are bananas in there’
Afena-Gyan has since moved to play down some fans calling the comment racist
Afena-Gyan was also encourage by a voice behind the camera to dance and he obliged. A number of fans picked up on the comments but Afena-Gyan does not think there was any racist intent or malice behind it.
He said on Instagram: ‘I want to assure you all that I was not offended by the background comment made in the video in any way – and that I truly believe there was no racist intent.
‘Since the first day I arrived at the club, I have been welcomed into the family by everyone, who have joked with me like they do all members of the family.
‘Because they see that I eat bananas a lot that has become a thing we laugh about sometimes – and I believe the comment was another example of that.
‘I feel at home here at Roma and I have done ever since I arrived. I am grateful for the support I have received from everyone here at Trigoria and don’t like to think that people have got the wrong idea about things.
Afena-Gyan scored two late goals as Roma secured a 2-0 win away at Genoa on Sunday
The Ghanaian striker ran to celebrate his first goal with a jubilant Jose Mourinho
‘Thanks for your concern, now let’s get back to concentrating on the next game. Grazie and Forza Roma.’
Speaking after the game, Mourinho had joked that the celebration for the first goal, when the player ran over to his manager, allowed Afena-Gyan to remind him of a deal they had agreed before the game.
‘I promised him a very expensive pair of shoes, for €800, and he came to me to make sure I didn’t forget,’ he told broadcaster DAZN.
‘I really like his coldness, his physicality but above all his humility.’
The Portuguese kept his word and purchased a pair of shoes for the teenager and presented it to him on Monday at Roma’s training ground.
The teenager completed his brace with a stunning long-range effort in stoppage time
The forward joined Roma’s youth set-up in January and was fast-tracked to the senior team
In a clip posted on Instagram by Afena-Gyan, the striker can be seen opening a box containing the shoes, while Mourinho and his teammates urge him to try them on.
Speaking after his match-winning performance at Genoa, which lifted Roma up to fifth in Serie A, the 18-year-old heaped praise on Mourinho.
‘He is teaching me a lot and I am learning a lot from him,’ he said.
‘He is someone who has achieved a lot during his career and he is a great person. I am glad to be working with him.
‘He encourages me day-in and day-out to do everything that will help me improve in future. So I am happy to be working with Jose Mourinho. I thank him very, very much.’
Meanwhile, Mourinho confirmed the striker will remain with Roma’s senior team after joining the club’s Primavera set-up (youth squad) in January, where he is working under former Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi.
Mourinho said Afena-Gyan will remain with Roma’s senior team for the foreseeable future
‘I am sorry for [Daniele] De Rossi and the Primavera squad, but Felix will stay with us,’ he said.
‘The Primavera work close to us, so Felix and another four or five players have come across to the senior squad.
‘You get these kids now who think they know everything, but he is humble and you can sense he just absorbs all this information from everyone around him. That’s fantastic.
‘What impressed me the most was his cool head in front of goal. If he is not in terms of technique fantastic, he does have a strong mentality.’