‘NOT ALONE’

Soccer Rallies Around Vinícius Júnior After Horrific Racist Incident

Vinícius Júnior said the top Spanish league “now belongs to racists.”

Some of the biggest names in soccer have offered their support to Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior after the Brazilian winger was racially abused during a game over the weekend. On Sunday, a game between Real and Valencia was briefly stopped when Vinícius said a fan insulted him. “It wasn’t the first time, or the second or the third,” the 22-year-old, who is Black, wrote in a social media post after the game. He said that “racism is normal” in LaLiga, the top tier of Spanish soccer. “The competition thinks it’s normal, as does the federation, and the opponents encourage it,” Vinícius added, saying that the league “now belongs to racists.” “You’re not alone,” PSG striker Kylian Mbappé said on Instagram. “We are with you and we support you.” “How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this shit?” former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand tweeted. “Full solidarity to Vinicius,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. “There is no place for racism in football or in society, and FIFA stands by all players who have found themselves in such a situation. Events during the match between Valencia and Real Madrid show that this needs to be the case.”