Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that black players boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia is not how to deal with the racism issue in the country.

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has suggested that black players should refuse to play in Russia at the World Cup, but Mourinho denied that is the right approach.

"I respect his opinion but I disagree," BBC Sport quotes Mourinho as saying. "The history of football was made equally by many races. The black players have made a fantastic contribution and when you go to the World Cup it is the biggest expression of different nationalities, races and parts of the world. The black players are very important for that.

"What's more important, the billions of people around the world who want to see that or the few thousand who go to football stadiums and show disgraceful behaviour towards black players? If I was a black player I would say the billions are more important. Let's fight the few thousand and give the billions what they want."

Chelsea take on City in the Premier League on Sunday.