Vinicius Junior breaks down while speaking about his battle against racism

By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID (AA) - Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior broke down in tears at a news conference on Monday as he spoke about the racism he suffered in Spain.

The Black Brazilian player spoke ahead of Brazil's international friendly against Spain on Tuesday at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, which is also the home of Real Madrid.

"Playing football is important, but the fight against racism is very important," said the 23-year-old forward.

"Let people of color have a normal life. If this were the case, I would go to my club's games focused only on playing. The only thing I want is to continue playing and for everyone to have a normal life,” he said.

Vinicius, a Real Madrid player since 2018, said he never considered leaving Spain despite the racist chants directed at him.

"I have never thought about leaving La Liga, because otherwise, I would give the racists what they want," he said.

He said, however, that he feels "more and more sad" when he suffers from racial abuse.

"I have less and less will to play. With each complaint made, I feel worse, but I have to appear here and show my face," he said.

Vinicius said that racism is a global problem and noted that football’s governing bodies UEFA, FIFA and the South American organization CONMEBOL could all “do more things.”

“The problem that exists in Spain is that racism is not a crime,” he said, adding the lack of punishment frustrates him.

"I am sure that Spain is not a racist country, but there are many racists, and many of them are in the stadiums," he said.

"We have to change because many of them don't know what racism is. At 23 years old, I have to teach many Spaniards what racism is," he added.

Vinicius Junior amassed 27 international caps to score three goals for Brazil and represented his nation at the 2022 FIFA World Cup won by rivals Argentina.

He is one of the valuable members of Real Madrid and has a valid contract with the Spanish powerhouse until 2027.

Earlier in March, Real Madrid lodged a complaint with Spanish prosecutors after Vinicius had been targeted with alleged racist chants by Atletico Madrid and Barcelona fans.

In 2023, Spanish police arrested seven people in Madrid and Valencia for allegedly committing hate crimes against him.

Real Madrid players then showed their support for their teammate before a Spanish La Liga match last season.