Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu was left stunned after a young footballer suffered racial abuse during a youth soccer game over the weekend.
A black boy of 13-14 years was subjected to racial slur during the non-competitive game in Fruili, prompting the Ghanaian international to express his surprise.
The 24-year-old was left shell-shocked at the extent to which the issue of racism is festering even among young children.
“I feel a deep sensation of discomfort. It is not possible that in 2015 we should attend to incidents of this kind,” Badu said
“I am surprised that today there are players that are targeted solely for the color of their skin.
“I shudder at the mere thought that this episode happened during a youth football match.”
Racism remains a "significant problem" in Italian football despite improvements in recent years.