Vinicius Junior is a Brazilian forward who is known for playing for Real Madrid. He has shared some of his thoughts about FIFA having Spain host the 2030 world Cup and why FIFA should reconsider if something isn't done about the racial abuse footballers are facing in football stadiums. Speaking to CNN in an interview the Real Madrid forward complained about the need for Spain society to change its attitude towards racism, expressing hope that by 2030 Spain will be well on the path He said that he hoped by 2030, Spain start effecting change he added that if it doesn't improve the location should be relocated to the tournament that makes the players feel comfortable and safe.
Vinicius had made some controversial comments about Spain, where the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Morocco will be hosted. Vinicius's comments were met with a defense from his Real Madrid teammate, Dani Carvajal, who suggested in a statement that Spain should not lose the events because “Spain is not racist”. While Carvajal appreciated Vinicius' experiences, he noted that efforts had been made by La Liga to tackle racism by implementing stricter protocols.
National team coach for Spain Luis de la Fuente stepped in the same boat, pronounced Spain as an example of "coexistence and integration." While Madrid's conservative mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida has dubbed comments by Vinicius disrespectful and demanded an apology.
Spain’s Response to Racism in Football Has Been Poor- But Things May Finally Be Changing
In a country where racism is a serious concern, Spain has traditionally done very little to address the issue in football, largely dismissing the existence of any real problem. However, when it comes to anti-racism action, things appear to be slowly improving, with the first convictions handed down this year following an investigation coordinated by the rights holder LaLiga: in June one person was given an 8 month prison sentence after racially abusing Vinicius on social media during a La Liga match while another receiving a suspended sentence last July after posting tweets aimed him and teammate Antonio Rüdiger.
