Wolves’ Arokodare hits racist backlash after missed penalty

Wolves and Super Eagles forward Tolu Arokodare was subjected to racist abuse on social media on Feb. 22, 2026 after missing a crucial penalty in Wolves’ 1-0 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with the incident highlighting ongoing issues of discrimination in football.

The 26-year-old striker had been presented with a chance to put Wolves ahead from the spot, but his effort was saved by Palace keeper Dean Henderson, and late on Evann Guessand sealed the hosts’ win. In the aftermath, Arokodare shared screenshots of racist messages he received online, condemning the behaviour as unacceptable.

“It’s still unbelievable to me that we’re playing in a time when people have so much freedom to communicate such racism without any consequences,” he wrote on Instagram, calling for accountability and collective action against bigotry.

Wolves publicly labelled the abuse “abhorrent” and reiterated that racism has no place in football or society, pledging to work with authorities and platforms to identify and act against the perpetrators.

The incident comes amid a tense season for Wolves, emphasizing both on-field pressure and the off-field challenge of confronting discrimination in the sport.