French winger Allan Saint-Maximin has spoken candidly about a painful chapter in his family's life, revealing that his children were racially abused while he was playing for Club America in Mexico earlier this year.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the 29-year-old explained that he felt compelled to break his silence rather than let the incident pass without comment. "Whatever your colour is, you don't have to accept this," he said, reflecting the message he shared in a widely-supported Instagram post in January that condemned discrimination and drew more than 159,000 likes, including from former Newcastle team-mates Kieran Trippier and Joelinton.
The father of four declined to detail the exact nature of what happened, only confirming that "some stuff happened with my kids in the school" during his time in Mexico. He described sitting down with his children to help them process the experience. "I explained to the kids what happened was not normal and they knew already," he said. "They were not really happy about that. I was a bit sad about my son, but in every place there is these type of things, even in France, the country where I am from. As I said to them, it's something they don't have to accept."
Saint-Maximin was careful to stress that he did not hold Club America responsible for the abuse. The club issued a statement of "absolute solidarity" with his family, and players displayed a "No to racism" banner ahead of a fixture against Necaxa. "It was not the fault of Club America," he said. "I have nothing against them, the players or the Mexican people. I love the club. It was one of the best places I've been with my family. It's just some random people say some stuff and try to attack your family."
He admitted the episode ultimately influenced a difficult family decision, though he stopped short of directly linking it to his next career move. "It was a difficult choice for me and my family, but I take my responsibility because I always say I will never accept stuff like this," he said. "It was important to show to people, especially in my situation, that I can lose a lot of things, but I will never accept this."
After a short stint back in France with Lens, where he helped the club win the Coupe de France for the first time in its 120-year history and finish runner-up in Ligue 1, Saint-Maximin turned down several offers to instead join Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC as a designated player. "My family have always followed me to every single place," he explained. "So this time was more of a family choice. It was a way for me to give back what they have given to me since I started my career."
At Charlotte, he is now working under former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, whom he described as a "straightforward guy" willing to "tell you the truth straight away." Saint-Maximin says his ambition is to entertain supporters rather than play in a mechanical style, adding: "To see some robot play doesn't make sense to me."
The winger also reflected fondly on his four years at Newcastle United, the longest spell of his career, where he became a fan favourite known for his charity work and generosity, including donations to a local foodbank and gifts to supporters. He recalled the emotional weight of Newcastle's relegation battles and the euphoria of their Champions League qualification in 2023.
Having worked under current Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle during his time at Al-Ahli, Saint-Maximin wished his former colleague success on Tyneside. "Newcastle is my dream club," he said. "I love it from the bottom of my heart. I watch every single game. They gave me what no-one gave to me and I'll never forget that. I'm very loyal. I had many opportunities to come to the Premier League, but I didn't because of them."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.