Brazilian footballer Vinicius Jr, who represents Real Madrid in the Spanish league La Liga, has expressed his desire for Spain to be ripped off the hosting rights for the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2030 if the country does not evolve from racism.
Vinicius has faced racism abuses on numerous occasions during his time at Madrid with the latest coming in March this year during his side’s La Liga clash against Valencia.
The Brazilian forward was subjected to racist chanting from the crowd at the Mestalla stadium and was sent off in the final minutes of the game following an altercation with Valencia player Hugo Duro.
“The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists,” Vinicius Jr wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, in his recent interview with CNN, Vinicius emphasized the need for a shift in Spain towards racism.
“Until 2030, there is a lot of room for improvement, so I hope that Spain can evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin,” the 24-year-old striker said.
“If by 2030 things don’t improve, I think we have to move the location because if a player doesn’t feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it’s a bit difficult.”
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Vinicius Jr’s remarks regarding Spain caused an uproar in the country while his Real Madrid teammate Dani Carvajal was among the notable figures to debunk his allegations and stressed that Spain should not be deprived of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030.
“Spain is in no way a racist country,” Carvajal told a news conference on Wednesday, adding Spain “does not deserve to be deprived of the World Cup”.
“I know what Vinicius has to put up with but La Liga is improving and protocols are being drawn up so that these people can no longer take part in sporting events,” the defender said.
Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente backed Carvajal’s remarks.
“There are always undesirables but Spain is not racist, it is an example of coexistence and integration,” he said.