While the soccer world was turned upside down early this week with the announcement of the European Super League — and its impending demise — the non-soccer world has been glued to the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was filmed murdering George Floyd, a Black man, in broad daylight last year.
The jury quickly reached its verdict and the announcement went out shortly after 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Derek Chauvin was convicted on all three charges: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Last summer, Floyd’s murder ignited a reckoning on race. A guilty verdict is nothing to celebrate and no substitute for policy reform (nor will it bring George Floyd back), but Tuesday’s conviction was, perhaps, a sign of progress a town over from where the police officer who shot Philando Castile dead was acquitted of all charges four years prior.
The soccer community never once stayed silent on the Floyd murder, starting with Weston McKennie wearing a Justice For George armband in the Bundesliga. Not long after the guilty verdict was read, U.S. Soccer, MLS and NWSL clubs and American players spoke out about the conviction.
Here is a collection of the responses across the soccer landscape to the Derek Chauvin verdict.
U.S. Soccer
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) April 20, 2021
https://t.co/Y3OG41NcQQ pic.twitter.com/GxLNi0aKZy
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) April 20, 2021
https://t.co/kN2plfnGrO pic.twitter.com/1VlLDgqiiG
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) April 20, 2021
National Women’s Soccer League
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) April 20, 2021
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) April 20, 2021
#BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/dDIMYfKvbu
— OL Reign (@OLReign) April 20, 2021
Major League Soccer
MLS Statement on Trial in Minnesota: pic.twitter.com/rpITFz84te
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2021
— LAFC (@LAFC) April 20, 2021
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) April 20, 2021
Black Lives Matter.
Justice matters.
There is more work to do.We are all Sounders. pic.twitter.com/GTIBbkrfrU— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) April 20, 2021
One down yes, but it’s not over. I pray that big Floyd is being taken care of by the angels. Let’s hope this is the turning point for the many families that’s crying for justice for their love once. #BlackLivesMatter #LoveWins
— KEI KAMARA (@keikamara) April 20, 2021
Big step in a LONG journey, but the jobs not done
— DSC (@SaintC17) April 20, 2021
