The Brazilian Football Confederation announced yesterday, Friday, that the national team will play two friendly matches against African teams as part of a campaign to combat racism in support of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, who faced racial abuse in La Liga this season.
The Confederation has also launched a national initiative against racism in the Brazilian league, starting next week, following the racial insults directed at the 22-year-old Brazilian player during a match against Valencia last Sunday. This incident marks the tenth time the player has been subjected to such abuse, and the league has reported it to the prosecutors this season.
Through this campaign, the Confederation aims to continue its efforts against racism, which began in 2022 under the leadership of its new president, Ednaldo Rodrigues, who called for legislative changes that would enable football authorities and the Brazilian judiciary to confront racism at stadiums with stricter penalties.
Rodrigues stated in an interview with Reuters in March, "We want Brazil to lead the fight against racism globally."
Sources told Reuters that the Confederation has closely coordinated with Vinicius Junior regarding the details of the two friendly matches, ensuring the player feels comfortable about playing them on the Iberian Peninsula, and the player welcomed the idea.
The Brazilian national team, which has won the World Cup five times, will face Guinea in Barcelona on June 17th and Senegal in Lisbon three days later.
