Leading football figures from past and present have rallied behind Vinícius Júnior following an alleged racist incident during Real Madrid’s 1–0 UEFA Champions League victory over Benfica.
The Brazilian forward scored the match’s only goal in the first leg, but attention shifted after claims that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni directed racist remarks at him during the game.
Reacting on social media, Vinicius condemned racism, saying perpetrators are cowards who rely on protection from those meant to punish such behaviour, adding that the experience was not new for him or his team.
Several prominent players and former stars publicly backed him. Kylian Mbappé alleged that Prestianni repeatedly used a racial slur against Vinicius and described the conduct as unacceptable and damaging to world football. Trent Alexander-Arnold praised Vinicius’ resilience, noting he has faced similar abuse before and handled it with strength. Former Real Madrid defender Álvaro Arbeloa stressed the need to confront racism and support affected players.
French legend Thierry Henry shared his own experiences, highlighting the isolation players feel when targeted, while Wayne Rooney dismissed criticism of Vinicius’ celebration and called racism in football “so sad.”
Ex-midfielder Clarence Seedorf criticised remarks attributed to José Mourinho that appeared to justify such behaviour, insisting racial abuse must never be excused. Jamie Carragher agreed, saying celebrations should never be used to rationalise discrimination.
Former England winger Theo Walcott called for swift action against such incidents, noting players are expected to perform despite hostile environments, while Alan Shearer lamented that the focus shifted from Vinicius’ skill and goal to the abuse claims. Micah Richards also condemned the alleged remarks, describing such behaviour as cowardly.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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