Vinicius Jr Hit with 20th Racist Attack – This Time at Benfica
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr suffered his 20th racist abuse incident after a Champions League play-off at Benfica was stopped for 10 minutes on Tuesday. The halt came amid claims Benfica’s Argentine midfielder Gianluca Prestianni racially abused the Brazilian star minutes after Vinicius scored a stunning goal in Lisbon.
Benfica boss Jose Mourinho sparked outrage by blaming Vinicius for “provoking” the drama. Speaking to Amazon Prime Video Sport, Mourinho said, “These talents can do beautiful things, but unfortunately he wasn’t just happy to score that astonishing goal. You need to celebrate respectfully.”
Mourinho also defended Benfica insisting the club “couldn’t possibly be racist” because legendary Black player Eusebio once starred for them. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague slammed Mourinho’s comments as “a new low” in football’s battle against racism.
Vinicius’ Nightmare: 20 Racist Attacks and Counting
This racial abuse nightmare isn’t new for Vinicius. Over eight years at Real Madrid, he’s been targeted relentlessly:
- October 2021: Racist chants at Camp Nou during El Clasico. Case dropped – culprit unknown.
- March 2022: Mallorca fans made monkey noises and threw banana insults. Authorities called it “outrageous” but took no action.
- Agent Pedro Bravo sparked outrage with a “monkey” remark, later apologised.
- September 2022: Atletico Madrid fans hurled racist chants outside stadium. Prosecutors ignored it.
- January 2023: Vinicius doll hung from a bridge; fans jailed and fined.
- May 2023: After abuse at Valencia, Vinicius fought back and got a red card. Three fans jailed—the first such sentences in Spanish football.
- March 2024: Booed again at Valencia but responded with two fist-raising goals.
- April 2024: Racial abuse at Atletico Madrid vs Inter and Osasuna; hate crime prosecutors involved.
- September 2024: Four arrested over social media hate campaign against Vinicius.
- October 2024: Racist abuse during Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid managerial debut. La Liga condemned it.
- February 2024: Match paused after racial chants; monkey gestures caught on camera aimed at Vinicius.
Vinicius: Fighting Back, Not Backing Down
“I’m not a victim of racism. I am an executioner of racists. This first criminal conviction in Spanish history is not for me. It’s for all black people.” – Vinicius Jr
Despite relentless hate, Vinicius refuses to stay silent. He’s turned abuse into a war cry against bigotry. Yet some Spanish and Portuguese media slam him, saying he should just “play football” and “behave better.”
La Liga has condemned such racist incidents and is working to punish offenders. UEFA is investigating the latest Benfica case, with possible sanctions looming for the club or players.
Vinicius Jr’s battle is far bigger than him. It’s a landmark fight against the racism haunting European football.
