Vinicius Jr. Breaks the Silence: Three Words That Slam Racism in the Champions League
18 February 2026
Vinicius's Bold Three-Word Response to Racism
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior spoke again about the racist incident that marred his team's 1-0 victory at Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Brazilian international had accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestiani of directing a racist insult toward him after he scored the winning goal and celebrated in front of the Eagles' fans.
Today Vinicius posted a clip of his goal on TikTok, captioned with a phrase implying pride in his identity and a rejection of any racist remarks.
The episode triggered a broader crisis, drawing a formal response from FIFA President Gianni Infantino who said he was shocked and saddened by the alleged incident in Lisbon.
Infantino stressed that there is no place for racism in sport or society, calling for everyone involved to take necessary action and hold perpetrators accountable, and praised referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol and for stopping the match as needed.
He concluded that FIFA and football stand in full solidarity with victims of racism and all forms of discrimination, reiterating: No to racism! No to discrimination in any form.
Punchlines: If racism is a foul, VAR would never stop reviewing it. And maybe the ball should come with a "no racism" sign—free kicks only, no excuses.
