Manchester City forward Bernardo Silva has been banned for one match and fined $94,158 AUD for a social media post that was deemed to be racially offensive.
The Portugal star will also have to complete face-to-face education after admitting a breach of an English Football Association (FA) rule which covers race, concerning a social media post relating to teammate Benjamin Mendy.
Silva had compared Mendy to a character which appears on the packet of Conguitos, a brand of sweet sold in Spain and Portugal.
"The Manchester City midfielder's social media activity ... brought the game into disrepute ... as it included reference, whether expressed or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin," the FA said in a statement.
The tweet sent and subsequently deleted by Bernardo Silva Source: Twitter
The FA accepted that Silva, who will miss his side's next match, at home to Chelsea, had not intended to be insulting or racist.
Silva deleted the post 46 minutes after he published it before tweeting: "Can't even joke with a friend these days."
Many people would have taken offence to the tweet, the FA said.
"The player did not himself intend the post to be insulting or in any way racist. It is clear that the tweet was intended to be no more than a joke between close friends," it said.
"However, this was not a private communication between two friends.
"The post was on a social media platform exposed to the 600,000 followers of a high-profile and well-respected professional footballer.
Kick it Out, an organisation campaigning for equality in English football, said it "accepted" the outcome.
“We accept Bernardo Silva’s admission that he did not mean to intentionally cause offence, and welcome the FA’s move to provide education as part of the sanction.”
Additional reporting: Evan Young
