Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior broke down in tears during a Monday news briefing as he revealed a pattern of racist abuse he continues to face, even as he was one of Real Madrid’s most popular and talented Black soccer players.
During the emotional press conference, the 23-year-old phenom talked about how persistent racist encounters over the past few years had tested his commitment to the sport and left him feeling discouraged.
But he made it clear that he refuses to be intimidated or forced out of Spain, emphasizing his strong determination to stand up against discrimination in the country where he has been playing professionally since 2018.
The emotional toll of the abuse was evident on Monday as Vinicius got choked up while speaking to a room full of reporters about being persistently targeted, ignored by officials, or belittled due to his skin color — encounters that have become part of his daily life in Spain.
“I just want to play football, but it’s hard to move forward; I feel less and less like playing,” Vinicius said, his expression revealing the personal pain he feels.
A tearful Vinicius Junior of Brazil during a press conference ahead of the friendly match between Spain and Brazil at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on March 25, 2024, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
The deeply moving press conference took place as Brazil prepared to face Spain in an exhibition match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. It was also part of an anti-racism campaign under the slogan “One skin.”
During remarks, Vinicius expressed the challenges of reconciling his personal values with the racism he faces from some fans, admitting that it was “hard to move forward” and overcome constant threats and verbal abuse.
However, when asked if he had considered leaving the country and returning to his native Brazil, Vinicius stated, “It never crossed my mind because if I leave Spain, I give the racists exactly what they want.”
Vinicius said the persistence of the situation had strengthened his resolve and emboldened him to confront the racists by continuing to show up in his daily life.
“I will stay because that way the racists can continue to see my face more and more,” he told the room in a gripping moment as the room fell silent. “I’m a bold player. I play for Real Madrid, and we win a lot of titles, and that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.”
Vinicius has faced numerous racist incidents in recent seasons, including disparaging “monkey” chants from Atletico Madrid fans before a game in September 2022 and last June, when four men were fined for hanging a racist effigy of Vinicius.
The athlete responded by filming the incidents and posting the videos to social media to expose the unprovoked hate he faces in Spain.
“When will it be enough?” Vinicius wrote in a message accompanying the video. “Racism is a crime. Not to punish is to be an accomplice.”
A month earlier, Spain’s soccer federation president admitted that racism was a major problem for the league following a series of hate-fueled protests that targeted Real Madrid’s forward.
“We have a problem of behavior, of education, of racism,” Luis Rubiales said last May, according to The Associated Press. “And as long as there is one fan or one group of fans making insults based on someone’s sexual orientation or skin color or belief, then we have a serious problem. A serious problem that stains an entire team, an entire fan base and an entire country.”
Already this year, several individuals have been fined for making racist gestures toward Vinicius during games at Valencia and Sevilla. One Valencia fan has been banned for life due to his involvement in the incident at Mestalla Stadium, while authorities are still investigating and working to identify others who could face potential hate crime charges.
Last season, La Liga — the top professional football division in Spain — informed prosecutors of nearly a dozen racist incidents that targeted Vinicius despite his status as one of the world’s best soccer players.
Last week, Real Madrid filed a complaint against referee Juan Martinez Munuera, who officiated the team’s match against Osasuna, for failing to report the racist insults directed at Vinicius during the game by Osasuna’s fans.
For many Black Americans, Spain is seen as a dream vacation spot, but beneath its charming exterior lies a troubling history of racism that often goes unnoticed by tourists.
