Spanish football has a racism crisis.
The problem is deeply engrained in the fabric of leading institutions and needs to be torn out by the roots. It has manifested itself in the indiscriminate and relentless targeting of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, which should disturb fans beyond Spain’s borders.
It is important to note that Spain isn't alone. Racism in football is a disgraceful issue that has wrecked the beautiful game for years and, although there have been signs of improvement, footballers in leagues all across the world and in international football have been on the receiving end of disgusting abuse.
But the harrowing images of gifted Brazilian star Vinicius Jr being reduced to the verge of tears has put the spotlight on LaLiga. The Real Madrid forward was taunted with degrading, racist 'monkey' chants from the stands of Valencia’s Mestalla stadium on Sunday evening in an incident that should haunt LaLiga authorities.
Vinicius is a supremely talented footballer who has been the subject of a prolonged campaign of racist abuse that has been lodged across Spanish football stadiums. Sunday night’s match was the latest in a long line of Real Madrid away games where LaLiga have been compelled to report hate crimes against the forward to the Spanish courts.
The abuse from Valencia fans generated headlines not because Vinicius was racially abused – to Spanish football’s eternal shame, that has become so routine at Real Madrid’s away games as to be expected – but because he pointed out the fans who he saw and heard making the taunts.
This appeared to inflame tensions on the pitch further. Vinicius was shown a red card for striking out at opponent Hugo Duro. Yet the Valencia striker, who had the Brazilian in a headlock for several seconds beforehand, escaped punishment. The deep sense of injustice and unfairness only compounding the abuse which goes far beyond sport.
As Vinicius made his way from the pitch, clearly deeply upset and emotional – he made a gesture to Valencia fans to suggest they were going to be relegated. An incident which was so anodyne in contrast to what he had been subjected to, it is almost comical. Yet many Spanish journalists, pundits and commentators have equated the two.
As the red card was shown to Vinicius, the co-commentator on LaLiga TV’s international feed – which was broadcast in the UK – provisioned the racial abuse of Vinicius with the fact that the player himself did not behave perfectly.
“He is telling the Valencia fans they are going to the second division,” the co-commentator explains, before adding: “We should stand against racism but we should also say that he is not an angel. He is not perfect. Sometimes he provokes the other teams.
“After the racial abuse, we cannot say he is a saint. He is always making mistakes.”
These comments, delivered on LaLiga’s own broadcast, encapsulate the crisis in which Spanish football has become engulfed.
Let us make it very clear: racism is abhorrent, it is disgusting, and it is inexcusable. Vinicius is a victim. People who suffer racist abuse do not ‘provoke’ the abuse nor do they bring it upon themselves. Their character and behaviour is irrelevant, especially in the highly-charged environment of elite football.
The co-commentator on LaLigaTV’s coverage doubled down on this position, signing off coverage of the match with: “Vinicius getting racial abuse is bad, but he needs to take a look at his own actions.”
This sentiment has been widely expressed across Spanish sports media. The editorial line in one Spanish publication of the incident was entitled "Vinicius, always in the eye of the hurricane." There was a fleeting acknowledgement that racial abuse was wrong, and then outrage of Vinicius gesturing to Valencia fans they're going down as "being in the worst possible taste" and "venting his frustration in the worst way." Similar framing was used across multiple other outlets.
Earlier this season, Vinicius faced disgusting racist chants from sections of Atletico Madrid fans as Real Madrid defeated their city rivals. Shortly after, videos emerged on social media of the abhorrent language used. That came after Vinicius was targeted with a racist slur on live Spanish TV by agent Pedro Bravo.
Bravo said during an El Chiringuito discussion of the Brazil international that "in Spain, you have to respect rivals and stop playing the monkey". Following a backlash alleging that this was a racist stereotype, Bravo subsequently apologised on social media by claiming that he misused a metaphor. It has opened a discussion across Spain and further afield of the language and attitude applied towards footballers with racial undertones.
In December, the Madrid prosecutor acknowledged that the racist chants of Atletico Madrid fans were "unpleasant and disrespectful" but in their judgement, reminded us "they only lasted a few seconds" and were "in the context of football rivalry." No further action was taken.
Within minutes of Brazil’s elimination from the World Cup, Cadiz midfielder Ivan Alejo published a tweet showing three dancing emojis and two monkey faces. He subsequently deleted the tweet amid a backlash yet faced no punishment.
At the turn of the year, video footage emerged of horrendous racist abuse directed at Vinicius during a LaLiga clash at Valladolid. The individuals involved filmed and published their abuse of the player – displaying the confidence and comfort in which they could shout racial insults. Ronaldo Nazario, a compatriot and friend of Vinicius alongside being Valladolid president, pledged swift and full punishment for all those involved.
By the end of that month, a new low was reached. Ahead of a Madrid derby in the Copa del Rey, Atletico Madrid's neo-nazi ultra group Frente Atletico hung an effigy representing Vinicius from a bridge near Real Madrid's training facilities ahead of the match. A statement on the player’s behalf claimed: “He expects punishment from the authorities, not official statements."
More abuse followed. At Real Mallorca, a fan was banned for three years for targeting the Brazilian. At the Camp Nou during El Clasico. At Girona, where a man sitting home end was captured by the TV cameras making a monkey gesture to Vinicius. So regular were the racial insults and abuse, it was normalised.
Speaking ahead of the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League clash against Madrid in February, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was asked by a journalist whether Vinicius brings abuse on himself due to "an aspect of his game is sometimes provocative, that creates some reaction". As expected, the bemused Liverpool boss immediately shut down that theory.
Klopp replied: "That he is doing something on the pitch that could cause it? There is nothing in the world that could justify that. Imagine if I say yes, that would be completely insane."
What Klopp and the right-thinking world viewed as “completely insane” was entirely normalised within Spain. There is a widespread recognition that racism is wrong but there is no deeper understanding of the scale or significance of racism, and that is set within a society which is institutionalised to – at some level – accept it “within the context of football rivalry”, just as the Madrid prosecutor had judged in December.
We hear the insulting suggesting that Vinicius ‘provokes’ fans. As if that has anything to do with Vinicius being racially abused. We hear the insulting question of ‘why aren't other black players racially abused’. As if that has anything to do with Vinicius being racially abused. We hear the insulting suggestion that ‘not all criticism of Vinicius is racist’. As if that has anything to do with Vinicius being racially abused.
On Sunday night, Vinicius took to social media to call on authorities to take action. LaLiga president Javier Tebas, whose only rightful place in this discussion should be to offer his full and unwavering support, instead questioned the player’s criticism of the league and claimed Vinicius needed to ‘properly inform’ himself.
LaLiga found itself caught in the eye of an international storm with widespread disgust at the treatment of Vinicius. Its president became embroiled in a social media spat with the victim, who once again found himself alone and powerless.
Individuals have been arrested and charged over racial abuse, but no stadiums have been closed. No teams have walked off the pitch. No points have been deducted. No meaningful deterrent has been introduced. Racists feel comfortable expressing themselves in LaLiga stadiums and that should shame Spanish football.
A 22-year-old black footballer has been failed by Spain’s authorities. By its prosecutors. By its football institutions. Vinicius signed off an Instagram post by using the league’s promotional slogan against itself: “No es futbol, es LaLiga” (it's not football, it's LaLiga). What is happening to Vinicius is not football, but a toxicity that has become the sport’s problem. And it must find a solution.
