Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior became emotional and cried while discussing the racist abuse he has faced in Spain. The 23-year-old was speaking at Real Madrid’s training ground, Valdebebas, ahead of a friendly match against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu.
When asked why he believed he was targeted for such abuse, he expressed sadness, stating that it occurs frequently in his matches, not just in Spain but globally.
Vinicius expressed frustration at receiving numerous insults while those who perpetrate racism go unpunished. He highlighted his sadness and ongoing struggle against such discrimination, emphasizing his determination to prevent others from experiencing the same treatment in the future.
Despite feeling disheartened at times, he remains committed to fighting against racism. Last May, he faced racial abuse at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, leading to life bans for three fans. While La Liga reports incidents of racism, they lack jurisdiction to penalize clubs or individuals, and no successful prosecutions have been made for racist chanting in stadiums.
Additionally, Vinicius has faced racism outside stadiums, with individuals facing prosecution for hanging an effigy of him off a bridge in Madrid before a match against city rivals Atletico.
