Stars in Europe - Brazil - Keyplayer - Vinícius Júnior
Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. He is considered to be one of the best wingers in the world due to his dribbling skills, pace, and stamina.
His footballing career began in 2006, when his father took him to the branch offices of Flamengo, in the neighborhood of Mutuá, in São Gonçalo where he lived. His club document described him as a left-back.
On 23 May 2017, La Liga club Real Madrid signed a contract to acquire Vinícius, effective after his 18th birthday on 12 July 2018 (as age 18 is the minimum age for international transfer).
He transferred for a reported fee of €46 million, which was at the time, the second most expensive sale of a player in the history of Brazilian football (behind only Neymar), the largest amount received by a Brazilian club for a transfer, and the highest amount ever paid by a club for a footballer under the age of 19. He was originally scheduled to return to Brazil on loan in July 2018.
He made his National-Team senior debut in 2021 and helped his nation to a runner-up finish at the 2021 Copa América, also representing Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América in the United States.
On 23 May 2023, four men were arrested by the Spanish Police in connection with the effigy.
In response, Vinícius condemned La Liga for what he perceived as normalization of racism, and advocated for more stringent measures and penalties to combat racist behaviour.
On 22 May 2023, Real Madrid released an official statement strongly condemning the racist abuse against Vinícius, viewing it as a direct attack on the democratic coexistence model of Spain; the club reported the incident as a "hate crime" to the Attorney General's Office, reserving its right to act as a private prosecutor in any ensuing proceedings.
On 15 June 2023, Vinícius was selected by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to lead a special FIFA anti-racism committee composed of players.
Public response
Vincent Kompany’s statement against racism
Some commentators believe the global outrage and outpouring of support for Vinícius following his stand against racism could mark a turning point in the fight against racism in football and Spain in general.
Guy Hedgecoe of BBC News said the issue has transcended the borders of Spain and of sport, as public figures from around the world are acknowledging what he stands.
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned racism and expressed his solidarity towards Vinícius while urging FIFA and other responsible football bodies to take the strongest actions possible.
Brazil's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue switched off its lights in a show of support for Vinícius following racial slurs from Valencia fans at the Mestalla Stadium in Spain.
Sean Gregory, writing for Time, said: "The effects of racist abuse in the world’s most popular game are felt far beyond the stadium walls. That the ugliness persists in 2023 also on full, terrible display, at stadiums around the world is a forever stain on the so-called beautiful game."
In Rio de Janeiro, representatives of more than 150 activist groups and non-profits delivered a letter to Spain's consulate, demanding an investigation into the league and its president.
Flávio Dino, Brazil's minister of justice, threatened Spain with applying the principle of extraterritoriality over Vinícius' case.
Various sporting figures from around the world, including seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, coaches Xavi and Carlo Ancelotti, pundit Rio Ferdinand, the Real Madrid Femenino and Real Madrid Baloncesto teams, as well as footballers Didier Drogba, Kylian Mbappé, Iñaki Williams, Raphinha, Ronaldo, Neymar, and Rafael Leão, offered him praises and support.
Anti-racism legislation called "Vini Jr. laws" was approved in the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul, which will see sporting events stopped or suspended in the event of racist conduct.
He also received awards from Rio's legislative assembly and city council, and his footprints were added to the stadium's walk of fame, beside those of Brazilian greats such as Pelé, Garrincha, and Ronaldo.
Vinícius received the Sócrates Award at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony for his humanitarian projects and fight against racism.
Education for All
In 2021, he founded the Instituto Vini Jr., an organisation to facilitate access to school for Brazilian children and teenagers from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
In 2023, he was awarded the Sócrates Award.
In 2024, UNESCO appointed Vinícius as a Goodwill Ambassador for Education for All.
He is the second footballer, after Pelé to become a UNESCO ambassador.
On-field racism incidents and reactions
La Liga has reported 26 incidents of racist abuse directed at Vinícius since October 2021.
These have included racist chants by fans and the hanging of a mannequin made to look like Vinícius from a bridge near his team's training grounds.
On 17 February 2026, during a Champions League match against Benfica, Vinícius scored the winning goal but was booked for excessive celebration toward the home crowd, before later becoming involved in a heated confrontation that led to play being halted for around 10 minutes after he reported an alleged racist remark from Gianluca Prestianni, prompting UEFA's anti-racism protocol to be activated.
Several Real Madrid teammates publicly supported him after the match, while Vinícius later reiterated his stance against racism and thanked supporters for their backing.
UEFA announced the following day that it had opened an investigation to examine allegations of discriminatory behaviour.
Brazil