American player Tyler Adams expresses solidarity with Floyd

BERLIN (AP) — Tyler Adams joined several other Bundesliga soccer players in expressing his solidarity with George Floyd.

The American who plays for Leipzig posted a picture of the boots he wore in Monday’s game at Cologne, showing he had “Black Lives Matter” written on his left shoe and “Justice 4 George” on the right.

“As an African American who day in and day out is proud to represent America in the worlds game, I’m saddened and frustrated,” Adams wrote. “Collectively our voices will bring justice for these crimes. Enough is enough. Black lives Matter. Black lives inspire. Justice for Floyd. Forever one nation, one team. On and off the field.”

Adams followed by posting an image only in black on Tuesday with the hashtag “blackouttuesday.”

Adams came on in the 59th minute of Leipzig’s 4-2 win, a game in which Cologne’s Anthony Modeste made a gesture against racism after scoring. The French striker stood briefly with his right palm facing out and his left palm facing in to display the darker skin on the back of his hand.

There were previous gestures on Saturday from Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie, and on Sunday from Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram and Borussia Dortmund teammates Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi.

German soccer federation president Fritz Keller praised the four young players for taking a stand and displaying their solidarity with Floyd, a black man who died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee for several minutes on his neck even after he stopped moving.