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Vinicius Jr. broke down in tears at his last press conference after a large number of questions about racism.
The striker’s career has been engulfed by the issue, and last month he suffered racial abuse, apparently from young fans, on a visit to Morocco.
Playing for Real Madrid in Spain, he was at the center of the ugly saga that gripped Spanish football in 2023 and has been the subject of numerous racial insults in the country.
He was the target of monkey chants at the Mestalla Stadium before and during Madrid’s 1-0 defeat against Valencia last May – the tenth time that season that he had been the target of racist abuse. Earlier this month he was again abused in the countryside, also allegedly by a child.
Now that other incidents have occurred, it seems that he has reached breaking point again in Brazil’s press conference before the friendly against Spain, a country where he has been repeatedly targeted, on Tuesday.
Vinicius Jr. burst into tears when asked about racism at his last press conference in Brazil.
The striker has been the subject of numerous accounts of racist abuse while playing for Real Madrid in Spain.
He will face the team he has targeted as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday night in his stadium.
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“I’m sorry,” the striker said, crying after being asked three questions about racism. “I just want to play football, do everything I can for my club and my family, never see black people suffer.”
The Brazilian winger enjoyed a brief break to the North African country last month and spent time meeting fans and playing football with the youngsters. as part of his role as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Vinicius visited a school in Marrakech and posted several images of himself wearing a Morocco national team shirt on social media after the trip.
Although the outing appeared largely positive, images emerged on social media of the 23-year-old receiving racist abuse from spectators while taking part in a friendly match. The source of the abuse is unclear in the video, although a voice can be heard appearing to call the winger a monkey on at least two occasions.
In the match against Valencia, Vinicius received a red card that was later annulled by the Spanish Football Federation after the discriminatory chants he had received from spectators.
He responded to the incident in his first game back at the stadium earlier this month, addressing the stands full of fans who had insulted him and threw the first one into the sky in clear defiance of the racism he had suffered after scoring. The first of two goals against Valencia.
The Spanish press finally condemned the abuse directed at the Brazilian in May last year. However, in January this year, a Spanish court dismissed a lawsuit over alleged racist abuse directed at Vinicius during a LaLiga match last year against Osasuna.
Vinicius issued a damning statement last May saying the racial abuse he received while playing in Spain is “inhumane.”
The 23-year-old was racially abused last month, apparently by young fans on a trip to Morocco.
He has been the center of a racist saga that has enveloped Spanish football and has been the target of attacks in stadiums.
The forward starred for Brazil against England on Saturday and will likely play again against Spain this week.
The forward, who received applause from the media present as he sobbed, will likely start again for Brazil against Spain as they continue their new era under Dorival Junior.
He starred against England on Saturday as Brazil became the first team to beat England at Wembley in 21 games, in which 17-year-old Endrick scored the winning goal.
An official asked him if he was okay to continue with the press conference before doing so.
