Vinicius Jr. Calls for Spain’s 2030 World Cup Bid Review Amid Racism Concerns

"If the situation of racism in Spain does not improve before 2030, the World Cup will have to be moved to another location," Vinicius Jr. told CNN. He says he hopes the Iberian peninsula "will be able to evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the color of their skin, because if things don’t change in 2030, I think the venue will have to change, because if the player doesn’t feel comfortable and doesn’t feel safe playing in a country where he can suffer racism, it’s a bit complicated."

The Brazilian striker has been the target of racist insults sixteen times. Last March, when questioned about the racism he regularly suffers, he broke down in tears in front of the press. He had said that his "desire to play" football "diminished" as the racist incidents against him accumulated in Spain. "I’m sorry. I just want to play football. I just want to play, I want to do everything for my club and for my family and that black people never suffer again," he had added.

Recently, the 24-year-old player revealed that he had had conversations with his Real Madrid teammates about how they could handle other incidents that could occur in the coming months. This includes the team’s commitment to leaving the field if a player is the victim of racist abuse from supporters.

In May 2023, the Brazilian striker was sent off at the end of the match (1-0) after reacting angrily to a torrent of racist insults directed at him from the stands and getting into an argument with a Valencia player. The Brazilian finally saw the Disciplinary Commission of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) lift his suspension. Valencia was sanctioned, sportingly and financially, for the behavior of some of its supporters. Last June, three men were sentenced to eight months in prison for their racist remarks and gestures towards him. For LaLiga, it was "the first conviction of this kind to be handed down in Spain".

"This conviction is excellent news for the fight against racism in Spain, as it repairs the damage suffered by Vinicius Jr. and sends a clear message to those who go to a football stadium to insult that LaLiga will detect them, denounce them and there will be criminal consequences for them," welcomed the president of LaLiga. According to the Brazilian striker, the attitude towards racism in the country is slowly changing. "I want to do everything I can to change things, because there are a lot of people in Spain, the majority, who are not racist. [...] A small group is, which ends up affecting the image of a country where it is very good to live. I love playing for Real Madrid. I love Spain, I love having the best conditions to live here with my family," he added.

On Saturday, FIFA introduced a sign for players and officials who are victims of racism. For the first time, players, referees and team officials will be able to report any racist incident during the U20 Women’s World Cup, which is being held from August 31 to September 22 in Colombia. They will have to cross their arms at wrist level to form an X in front of their chest. The main referee will then be able to initiate a three-step procedure. The first is to interrupt the match. If the racist behavior continues, the match will then be temporarily suspended and the players and referees will leave the field. If the incidents persist, the match will be definitively stopped.