Leeds United's England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin stayed on his feet while the rest of the Premier League took a knee against racism during yesterday's 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
The gesture became a Premier League fixture after the Covid-19 pandemic. At the referee's whistle, every player drops to one knee in protest against racism.
Its use had faded in recent months, only to return this week as part of the "No Room for Racism" campaign, according to France's "RMC Sport" network.
His coach Daniel Farke put the decision down to "respect". He told a press conference: "Dom says: 'I won't allow anyone to control me. I show my respect by standing up for myself.' Everyone is different, and shows their respect for this campaign in their own way. It is certainly a good campaign and a noble cause supported by the world of football and sport in general in such situations, because the dressing room is a wonderful example of how we all live together."
This is not the first time the Leeds striker has made the call. He also stayed standing during the Burnley match at the end of last season.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Everton), Issa Diop (Ipswich Town), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), and Ryan and Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) all chose not to take a knee during this week's matches too.
It all began in 2020 after the death of George Floyd following his arrest by American police, the moment that sparked the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
Players then took a knee before every match in England until the practice stopped in 2022. To keep the message alive, clubs agreed to take a knee twice a season.