Former England footballer Sol Campbell claims he would have been national captain for more than 10 years had he been white, in extracts of his biography published on Sunday.
The 39-year-old, who won 73 full international caps for his country, including three as captain, said the Football Association and the majority of fans did not want a black player heading the England team.
"I believe if I was white, I would have been England captain for more than 10 years - it's as simple as that," the former Tottenham and Arsenal defender said in his new biography serialised in The Sunday Times.
"I think the FA wished I was white. I had the credibility, performance-wise to be captain.
"I was consistently in the heart of the defence and I was a club captain early in my career.
"I don't think it will change because they don't want it to and probably the majority of fans don't want it either."
Campbell, who retired from the professional game in May 2012 having been released by Newcastle United the previous year, claimed a "glass ceiling" was preventing blacks players from taking the England armband at the highest level.
"It's alright to have black captains and mixed race in the Under-18s and Under-21s but not for the full national side - there is a ceiling and although no one has ever said it, I believe it's made of glass."
He added that the appointment of former Liverpool striker Michael Owen as the national side's captain ahead of him was "embarrassing."
"I think the FA didn't want me to have a voice. Owen was a fantastic forward but nowhere near being a captain.
"I've asked myself many times why I wasn't. I keep coming up with the same answer. It was the colour of my skin."
