Infantino Reacts to Vinícius Incident: Racism Has No Place in Football

Infantino's Statement and Call for Action

Swiss FIFA President Gianni Infantino officially stepped into the controversy surrounding the Benfica vs Real Madrid clash (1-0) in the Champions League, played on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on Instagram, he said: "I was shocked and saddened to see the alleged racist incident involving Vinícius Júnior during the Benfica-Real Madrid Champions League match."

He added: "There is no place for racism in our sport or in society. All parties must take the necessary action, and the culprits must be held accountable. I commend referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol and using the crossed-arms signal to stop the match and manage the situation."

Infantino concluded: "FIFA and football stand in full solidarity with victims of racism and all forms of discrimination. No to racism! No to any discrimination."

Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid's star, had earlier accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestiani of directing racist abuse at him after he scored the match's lone goal with a brilliant strike and celebrated with a dance in front of the Eagles' fans.

The episode underscores ongoing battles against discrimination in European football and the need for consistent enforcement of anti-racism measures across competitions.

Further match details were not immediately clarified, but the overarching message from FIFA emphasized accountability and unity against prejudice.

Punchline 1: If racism were a goal, it would be an own goal—always embarrassing, never celebrated.

Punchline 2: In football as in comedy, the best defense is inclusion; let’s keep the laughs, and the lanes, clean and fair.