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Hector Bellerin reveals how online abuse made him delete Twitter
Published 21:49 8 Sept 2018 BST
Updated 22:30 8 Sept 2018 BST
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Published 21:49 8 Sept 2018 BST
Updated 22:30 8 Sept 2018 BST
Explore more on these topics:
"Most of the abuse is online, but you hear it in the stadium too. People have called me ‘lesbian’ for growing my hair. There are other kinds of homophobic insults. I have learnt to grow a thick skin but it can affect you. Every now and again, you get a bit of self-doubt," he said.
On the negative reactions that some of his more out-there outfits have received, Bellerin said that "the problem is that people have an idea of what a footballer should look like, how they should behave, what they should talk about."
"You act a little differently and you become a target. There is pressure to conform. This is very dangerous. In life, you should be allowed to express yourself. People are happier like this.”Bellerin believes social media is a double-edged sword. "It can be a blessing and a curse,” he said.
"When I first came into the ranks at Arsenal, the expectations were very low so people were often impressed when I played well. But then, when I played badly, the stick got crazy. The worst was a year and a half ago. A lot of people say nice things but it is natural to focus on the bad. For a while, I deleted the apps. Later, I decided to go back on. Twitter is a great source of information. Every day I am learning to deal with abuse in a better way.”
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