How Vinicius Jr has suffered relentless racist abuse in Spain
He shone for Brazil against England on Saturday night, but Vinicius Junior’s rise to the top of world football has been far from easy going – with the Real Madrid wonderkid subjected to relentless racist abuse since arriving in Spain aged 18.
The emotional burden of years of taunts and death threats came to a head during a press conference yesterday, as the 23-year-old broke down in tears while describing how he suffered vile abuse during ‘every match’.
Asked why he thought he was singled out, the young star said: ‘It’s something very sad that happens in every match of mine. It’s not just me and it’s not just in Spain, it’s all over the world.
‘I receive a lot of insults while the racist is free; he is not punished. Every day that goes by I feel more and more sad about it. But I struggle on because they have picked on me. I fight so that in the near future it won’t happen to anyone else.’
Vinicius’s rise from a disadvantaged childhood in Rio de Janeiro to the height of European football is a story of success against overwhelming odds.
Vinicius Jnr broke down in tears when asked about racism in his latest Brazil press conference
The forward has been subject to numerous accounts of racist abuse while playing for Real Madrid in Spain
Vinicius has been linked with Maria Julia Mazalli, a social media influencer from his native Brazil
After impressing his coaches at school, the youngster enrolled as an academy player aged 10 when his father took him to the branch offices of his local football club Flamengo.
The teenager was then put on the fast-track to stardom aged 16 when he received a contract from Real Madrid, with the Spanish club agreeing to pay an eyewatering £38million to take him when he turned 18.
Vinicius’s story may be one of incredible personal achievement, but at yesterday’s press conference – held before Brazil’s friendly against Spain tonight – he admitted that the racism he continues to receive sometimes saps his desire to carry on.
‘Sometimes I have less and less desire to play but I want to keep fighting,’ he said.
Last May, the player was targeted with monkey chants by supporters at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium and handed a red card for reacting to the abuse.
He later took to Instagram to accuse Spain of having a reputation as a ‘racist country’, writing: ‘It wasn’t the first time, not the second and not the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, so does the Federation and the opponents encourage it. I am soo sorry.’
‘The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi, today belongs to the racists.
‘A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and I love, but which accepted to export the image to the world from a racist country.
‘Sorry for the Spaniards who do not agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists.
‘And unfortunately with everything that happens on a weekly basis, I have no way to defend.
‘I agree. But I’m strong and will go to the end against the racists. Even though it’s far from here.’
Vinicius reacts to being racially abused with monkey chants from Valencia fans last season
A newspaper in Valencia mocked him up as Pinocchio and accused him of lying about the racist abuse he received
Vinicius on the pitch at Real Madrid with his family, who are from São Gonçalo in Rio de Janeiro
Vinicius recently shared a throwback picture of himself as a baby wearing a Flamengo shirt
Another photo of the future star footballer from when he was a child
He was backed by Real head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who called for games to be stopped if monkey chants could be heard.
‘La Liga has a racism problem,’ he said. ‘They cannot yell ”monkey” at Vinicius. The game must be stopped. If an entire stadium is chanting ”monkey” then the game has to be stopped. I said this to the referee.’
But rather than support Vinicius for making a stand, La Liga president Javier Tebas accused him of not appearing at meetings with the league regarding his complaint about racism.
He also then told the Brazilian ‘before you criticise and slander La Liga, you need to inform yourself properly’.
A local newspaper joined the pile-on by unveiling a back page mock-up of the footballer as Pinocchio to suggest he had lied about the racist abuse he had received.
Unbowed, Vinicius blasted Tebas in a stinging response, insisting the time for words was over as he demanded that action be taken against the ‘inhuman’ abuse.
Vinicius’s hometown of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil turned off the lights of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue on Corvocado in solidarity with the player.
Tebas eventually apologised following a wave of criticism. Vinicius’s red card was rescinded and Valencia eventually handed three of the perpetrators lifetime bans.