Vinicius Jr. Says Spain Must Beat Racism To Host 2030 World Cup

Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior has discussed the racism issue in Spain, claiming the country should lose its right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup if the situation does not improve. Vinicius Jr. also pledged to do everything in his power to help the country “evolve” before the showpiece event.

Real Madrid Star Vinicius Jr. Has Suffered Racism In Spain

One of the best players in Europe, Vinicius Jr. has been subjected to racial abuse time and again in Spain. In October 2021 at Barcelona‘s home ground, Camp Nou, a home fan called him “monkey.” La Liga investigated the case but could not identify the perpetrator. Almost a year later, agent Pedro Bravo took aim at Vinicius Jr. on the Spanish TV show “El Chiringuito”, asking him not to dance and “stop acting the monkey.”

In January 2023, ahead of a Copa del Rey quarter-final clash between Atletico and Real Madrid, Atletico fans hung a mannequin wearing Vinicius’ shirt from a bridge. There was also a banner that read “Madrid hates Real.” Later in May, Valencia fans targeted Vinicus in a La Liga game, calling him a “monkey” and disrespecting him with obscene gestures. After an investigation, Valencia received a hefty $29,273 fine and three of their fans were arrested.

As per ESPN, Valladolid, Osasuna, Sevilla, Mallorca, and Betis fans have also taken racially-charged digs at Vinicius Jr., at one time or the other.

Vinicius Jr. Thinks Spain Should Lose 2030 World Cup Hosting Rights If It Cannot Fix Racism Issues

Having been a target of racism, Vinicius Jr. knows how badly it can affect a player’s psyche. Speaking on CNN, he asked authorities in Spain to either make the country welcoming for all races or lose the 2030 FIFA World Cup hosting rights.

The Brazil international said:

“I hope that Spain can evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone based on the color of their skin. Until 2030, we have a very large margin for evolution. So I hope that Spain can…

Source link : https://sportslens.com/news/real-madrid-vinicius-jr-racism-world-cup/

Author : Sushan Chakraborty

Publish date : 2024-09-04 11:22:41

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