Vinicius Jr.: Eight Years at Real Madrid Amidst Racism Allegations

In a poignant moment at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague witnessed a 10-minute interruption during Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Benfica. This disruption occurred after Vinicius Jr. reported experiencing racist abuse for the 20th time in his eight-year tenure with the club.

Balague offers insight into how the 25-year-old attacker has emerged as a potent emblem of the fight against discrimination in sports. Football, which should have celebrated Vinicius’s spectacular goal, was instead once again engulfed in the murky waters of racism, leading to denials, justifications, and a disheartening lack of awareness from those in influential positions.

Vinicius has faced this ordeal repeatedly, tallying 20 instances of alleged racial abuse throughout his career at Real Madrid. The most recent accusation involves Benfica’s Argentine midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, who allegedly directed racist remarks at him shortly after Vinicius scored an extraordinary goal. Prestianni has denied these claims.

Vinicius has received robust support from several teammates, particularly from Kylian Mbappe, who stated he heard a racial slur used multiple times during the match. Following the game, Benfica’s manager, Jose Mourinho, controversially suggested that Vinicius himself incited the situation.

“These talents can perform incredible feats, but unfortunately, he did not simply celebrate that remarkable goal respectfully,” Mourinho commented during an interview.

He further argued that Benfica could not be labeled a racist club, citing that its greatest player, Eusebio, was black. Mourinho’s remarks represent a troubling trend in media discussions—especially prevalent in Spain and now in Portugal—which often defaults to blaming the victim rather than addressing the systemic issues.

Comments like “Yes, they insult him, but he should act better” illustrate a damaging narrative that seeks to separate the reaction from the provocation, as if they exist independently. Vinicius’s confrontational stance towards the stands is often misconstrued as arrogance, yet it stems from a continuous battle against an antagonistic atmosphere.

Frantz Fanon articulated in his seminal work,Black Skin, White Masks, that a black individual must exert double the effort to be acknowledged as a human being. For Vinicius, this struggle may manifest as frustration and tension, leading to reactions perceived as extreme by outsiders. However, these responses might be seen as acts of survival from within.

When the Spanish media insists that Vinicius should simply “play and remain silent,” it reflects what sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva describes as “racism without racists”—cultural frameworks that do not overtly insult but instead blame the victim for their reaction.

Despite the adversity, Vinicius has evolved into a global figure in the fight against discrimination, pushing for stricter protocols and actions from authorities. The hostility directed at him is palpable, with specific names, dates, and legal repercussions marking his experiences.

His latest ordeal at Estadio da Luz signifies the 20th reported instance of abuse he has encountered during his time with Real Madrid. He has faced insults in stadiums throughout Spain and has even testified in court after a mannequin dressed in his jersey was hung from a bridge.

Fans have faced penalties, including suspended sentences, for their racist actions in Valencia and Mallorca, largely due to La Liga’s commitment to holding offenders accountable in a culture that has historically been lenient towards football’s “industrial” language and banter.

A timeline of Vinicius’s experiences reveals a grim reality. In October 2021, during a Clasico at Camp Nou, a fan hurled racist slurs as he was substituted; the case was closed due to the police’s inability to identify the offender.

In March 2022, Mallorca supporters directed monkey noises at him and told him to “go pick bananas.” Although authorities expressed outrage, they deemed the incident not “criminally significant,” leading to no action being taken.

During a Spanish television program, Pedro Bravo, the president of the Spanish Football Agents’ Association, suggested that Vinicius should “stop acting like a monkey” and respect his opponents. He later issued an apology on social media, claiming his words were metaphorical. This comment ignited significant backlash, especially from Brazil, and no further action was pursued.

In September 2022, Atletico Madrid fans chanted racial slurs outside their stadium, yet prosecutors chose not to file charges. The situation worsened in January 2023 when a doll representing Vinicius was found hanging from a bridge, resulting in prison sentences for four members of the Frente Atletico supporters’ group, which were later reduced to fines.

In May 2023, a pivotal moment occurred at the Mestalla when Vinicius confronted the crowd after enduring insults. Subsequently, he was sent off following an altercation with Valencia’s goalkeeper and for striking Hugo Duro. In June 2024, three fans were sentenced to eight months in prison and received two-year stadium bans for their involvement in the abuse, marking a historic legal decision in Spain.

Upon returning to Mestalla in March 2024, he faced a barrage of boos but responded with two goals, celebrating triumphantly. Remarkably, Vinicius does not need to be present at matches to endure racial taunts. Eleven days post his Mestalla return, racist chants were directed at him before a Champions League fixture between Atletico Madrid and Inter, prompting Real Madrid to report the incident to hate crime prosecutors.

Just five days later, at Osasuna’s stadium, shouts of “Vinicius die” echoed. On September 29, 2024, four individuals were arrested for inciting hate against him on social media during a derby match against Atletico Madrid.

In February, during the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad, the referee paused the game due to Spain’s anti-hate protocol. Although this stoppage was due to chants aimed at another player, a fan was seen making monkey gestures towards Vinicius, leading the club to issue public statements condemning xenophobic behavior.

Furthermore, just last month, during Alvaro Arbeloa’s debut as Real manager against Albacete, a segment of their supporters unleashed racist insults at Vinicius, prompting La Liga to express strong condemnation and reaffirm its support for the player.

As the Lisbon incident unfolds, one might question why Vinicius persists in his battles against such hatred. He provided clarity in June 2024, following the sentencing of those who abused him in Valencia.

“Many have urged me to ignore it, claiming my efforts are futile and suggesting I should just ‘play football,'” Vinicius stated on social media. “However, I have always emphasized that I am not a victim of racism. I am a hunter of racists. This first criminal conviction in Spanish history is not for me; it is for all black individuals.”