As with most, if not all, of the blogs I’ve posted, this one will once again be about soccer. Watching soccer is always a joy, as I enjoy my favorites teams and players enjoying success on the field. However, sometimes issues disrupt the field of play, and these issues cannot be ignored. One player who I enjoy watching is Vinicius Junior, who plays for Real Madrid, a well-known club from Spain. During his time for the club, he has been the subject to significant criticism for the way he plays, as usually players from Brazil are taught a lot of tricks that equate to showboating. This sometimes leads to opposition fans shouting racist abuse towards the player, with one game particularly coming to mind. The game in question was against Valencia CF, away from home. During the match, he reportedly heard racist abuse and pointed out the alleged abusers. The match was stopped to address the issue, but resumed later on.
Despite the negative remarks, he kept his composure and played on, not letting the abuse get in the way of playing his game. The thing that stood out to me was the way he handled the situation, by not giving in the hate, but by addressing it. After the game ended, he spoke out on social media, emphasizing the need for solidarity against hate and discrimination. This played a major role in his portrayal on social media, as many players and different outlets praised the player for speaking up about an issue that needs correcting, and further emphasized the player as being the main face fighting against racism. Almost every social media outlet, whether it be Instagram, TikTok, or X, he was the main source of content. Most media outlets were in support of Vinicius Jr, with only a few being not against his advocacy, but his actions on the field that led to the abuse. The media did well in enhancing Vinicius’ view on racism, with Valencia CF responding by launching an investigation into the abuse, and enhancing more talk of efforts to take on racism. He still endures abuse every time he plays, but with the help of his teammates and his supporters, Vinicius Jr continues to fight for equality on and off the pitch.
