A crowd of angry adults hurling racial slurs at a 22-year-old black footballer. The story sounds like it belongs to past decades, but it is a key part in what happened to Brazilian footballer Vini Jr. last week, during a Spanish league match between Real Madrid and Valencia. Racism has been a persistent problem in Spanish football, and young Vini Jr. has been targeted in many of the high-profile examples of late.
But racism in football knows no borders. Deplorable acts of hatred are not uncommon in South America’s Copa Libertadores club tournament. Last year, cases of racist chanting occurred across the continent, and football governing bodies fail to provide adequate solutions.
Europe is no different. And one Brazilian player had to do what many in power have been reluctant to do. Tired of being called a monkey every time he received the ball, Vini Jr. decided enough was enough and started calling things by their name.
Vini Jr. has the support of all Brazilian fans, and his calls for football free of racism have led to investigations and even to the arrest of some of his attackers. In an ideal world, those in charge of football should be the ones leading this crusade against racism. But as history has shown several times, sometimes it takes the victim to act.
Otherwise, problems will probably persist.
Pelé, the King of Football and the most famous player in history, died last year without seeing a world free of this chronic plague. But now he seems to be more than well represented. And once again, we join Vini Jr. in his call: enough racism!
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