Sol Campbell Accuses FA of Racial Discrimination When Handing Captaincy

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell believes that he would have been made the England captain 10 years back if he was white.

The former Tottenham and Arsenal player has won all major domestic titles in his career and has been a towering presence in the backline for the Three Lions.

However, his consistency at the back and his leadership qualities has never culminated into the captain's armband, something which he believes Is due to racial discrimination on the part of the English FA.

Campbell was part of the Arsenal squad which went the whole season unbeaten in 2003/04 where he was hailed for his leadership skills.

However, the FA never gave him the opportunity to exercise his prowess for England, instead picking Michael Owen to captain the side ahead of him. The defender ended his career having captained the side thrice in friendly games, something which has not gone down well with the Englishman.

"I believe if I was white, I would have been England captain for more than 10 years - it's as simple as that. I think the FA wished I was white. I had the credibility, performance-wise to be captain. I was consistently in the heart of the defence and I was a club captain early in my career," Campbell said.

"I don't think it will change because they don't want it to and probably the majority of fans don't want it either.

"It's alright to have black captains and mixed race in the under-18s and under-21s but not for the full national side. There is a ceiling and although no one has ever said it, I believe it's made of glass," he added.

The defender also revealed that appointing Owen as the captain was an embarrassment and an insult to his credentials.

"I think the FA didn't want me to have a voice. Owen was a fantastic forward but nowhere near being a captain. It was embarrassing. I've asked myself many times why I wasn't. I keep coming up with the same answer. It was the colour of my skin," he concluded.