Vini Jr. speaks out against racism in Spain: How are people reacting?
Corrections and clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated Lionel Messi's team. It is Barcelona.
Vinícius Jr. faced racist taunts during Real Madrid's match against Valencia on Sunday. The 22-year-old Brazilian player was targeted with racist chants before the game, with the crowd at Mestalla calling him "mono," which means "monkey" in Spanish, during the 1-0 loss.
After the match, Vini Jr. took to Instagram to express his frustration with the racism he encountered, referring to Spain as a "country of racists." He highlighted that this was not an isolated incident, sharing a video montage of previous racist episodes he has experienced since joining Real Madrid in 2018.
In response to the incident, La Liga president Javier Tebas Medrano stated that the league is committed to eradicating racism. He mentioned that there have been only nine reported cases of racism in the league, emphasizing that Spain and La Liga are not racist. The league's corporate Twitter account also expressed support for Vini Jr. and reiterated its stance against racism.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti stood by Vini Jr., criticizing the handling of the situation during the match and the failure to address the racist behavior from the fans. Ancelotti emphasized the need to take action against racism in football and society.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino showed solidarity with Vini Jr., highlighting the organization's efforts to combat racism in football. Vini Jr. has been subjected to multiple racist incidents in Spain, with La Liga reporting 12 cases of racism since January 2020, eight of which targeted the Brazilian player.
Racism in football is not limited to Spain, as evidenced by the experiences of players like Romelu Lukaku. Several soccer stars, including Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, expressed support for Vini Jr. in response to the recent incident. Lewis Hamilton, the only Black driver in Formula 1, also showed solidarity with Vini Jr.
Vini Jr. joined Real Madrid in 2018 and his contract with the club is set to expire in the summer of 2024. Despite attempts to extend his contract, he has not yet agreed to a new deal.