Celebrating Frank Soo

Today’s Doodle celebrates British footballer and coach Frank Soo, a fearsome half-back and inside forward who broke racial barriers playing for the English national team during World War II. On this day in 1942, Soo made his international debut in a match against Wales, becoming the first person of non-European descent—and only ever of Asian heritage—to represent the country’s team at the highest level.

Frank Soo was born on March 8th, 1914 in Derbyshire, England and raised in Liverpool. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the best youth players in the city. At just 18 years old, he was scouted by Stoke City F.C., becoming the first professional player of Chinese ancestry in the English Football League.

Renowned for an artful playing style, dignified ball control, and precise passing, the charismatic Soo was named team captain at age 27 and rose to a level of national celebrity. In 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Soo enlisted in the Royal Air Force and continued his legacy as the captain of its football team. Though England’s Football Association deemed its wartime matches unofficial, Soo went on to represent his country in nine such international fixtures by 1945.

Soo retired from playing in 1950 and moved on to a successful international coaching career that lasted over three decades. His legacy lives on in the increasingly diverse English team that plays today.

Thank you, Frank Soo, for showing the world the unifying power of sport. ​

Doodler Q&A with Matthew Cruickshank

Today’s Doodle was created by Doodler Matthew Cruickshank from North London.
Below, he shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle:

 Q: What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach?

A: We found very old football trading cards online. This formed the basis of the Doodle, along with simple animation in order to celebrate Frank even more.

 Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: I drew from my memories of being a very average footballer in England with a love of the game. But more importantly, I imagined how many barriers Frank broke down as a brilliant footballer in a minority. He took his talent to the pinnacle. 

 Q: What do you hope people will take away from this Doodle?

A: A love of football and a celebration of the diversity we have in the modern game today. Frank really played his part in achieving that.

Early concept sketches of the Doodle