The Japan Times - How Real Madrid's Vinicius became repeated target of racist abuse

The Champions League play-off first leg was halted for 10 minutes with the players leaving the pitch after Vinicius told referee Francois Letexier that Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni had called him a "monkey".

The 20-year-old Argentine midfielder, who covered his mouth with his shirt as he appeared to say something to Vinicius, denies racially abusing the Real Madrid star.

Vinicius has become a lightning rod for racist abuse after arriving in the Spanish capital in 2018 from Flamengo.

The 25-year-old has been targeted in many high-profile incidents, mostly within Spain.

In January 2023, Atletico fans hung an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge near Real Madrid's training ground.

Four months later Vinicius squared off with fans abusing him at Valencia's Mestalla stadium, in an incident which gained him worldwide support in his battle against racism.

"I'm not a victim of racism. I am a tormentor of racists," wrote Vinicius on social media platform X in 2024, after three Valencia fans were found guilty of abusing him that day.

"This first criminal conviction in the history of Spain is not for me. It's for all black people."

In 2025 five Real Valladolid fans, who racially abused Vinicius in a 2022 match, were found guilty by a court of committing a hate crime -- the first such ruling in Spain regarding insults at a football stadium.

There have been numerous other incidents, most recently Albacete fans singing a racist chant about the forward outside their stadium before knocking Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey in January.

The Champions League clash against Benfica is the first time Vinicius has accused another player of racism.

"Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are," he said on social media.

Vinicius's team-mate Kylian Mbappe called for Prestianni to be excluded from the competition.

"This guy doesn't deserve to play in the Champions League again, that's my opinion," Mbappe told reporters.

- Why always Vini? -

A question many ask is why Vinicius is so often the target of racist abuse, rather than other Real Madrid players.

"There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium," Benfica coach Jose Mourinho told Amazon Prime, foisting the blame onto the Brazilian.

"A stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always."

There is no doubt the forward is provocative, both in his playing style and his behaviour, but such factors do not justify racist abuse.

Vinicius has been Madrid's main attacking weapon for several years, at least until Mbappe's arrival, and is still the team's best dribbler.

As a player who takes on defenders repeatedly, sometimes humiliating them using skill moves, he is fouled more, drawing heat from the stands who often believe he dived.

Vinicius wears his heart on his sleeve, and, always animated, his vociferous complaints and appeals to match officials wind up opposition fans and players.

The forward sometimes directly engages in annoying home supporters, with gestures to indicate his successes, or their failures.

Some supporters view the abuse as a way to try and put him off his game, to press his buttons and get him upset and distracted.

Vinicius's goal celebrations are sometimes criticised -- against Benfica he celebrated in front of the home fans by dancing with the corner flag.

Fans threw objects onto the pitch at him and it was in the aftermath that he and Prestianni clashed.

"Dance Vini, and please never stop," wrote Mbappe on X. "They will never tell us what we (can) do or not."

Speaking out against racism has made him an even more visible target and the abuse continues to flow.

K.Hashimoto--JT