Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has thrown his support behind Barcelona rival Lamine Yamal in the ongoing fight against racism. The Real Madrid star has urged the young forward to keep speaking out and calling for high-profile players to unite across club and national lines.
The Los Blancos forward made the comments on Monday ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League clash vs Bayern Munich, praising Yamal for publicly condemning anti-Muslim chants directed at him and Egyptian players during Spain's recent friendly against Egypt.
Vinicius stands with rival player Yamal to battle racism
Yamal earlier took over his social media account to describe the incident as disrespectful and intolerable in the match against Egypt. Vinicius, who has himself faced repeated racist abuse in La Liga, stated that influential footballers have a responsibility to advocate for Black individuals who face even greater hardships without the same platform or resources.
The Brazilian forward stressed that racism is not limited to any single country, naming Spain, Germany, and Portugal as examples where racists exist despite the nations themselves not being inherently racist. He said:
“I'm not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well.”
Vinicius added:
“But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won't have to go through this again.”
The Real Madrid player highlighted the need for collective action to reduce discrimination in football and beyond. The gesture has drawn praise for bridging the intense Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry in pursuit of a larger cause.
Vinicius's message comes as football continues to grapple with incidents of racist and discriminatory abuse, with both players using their platforms to push for change. He has recently accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a monkey after the Brazil forward celebrated in front of the home fans.
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