Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida has criticized Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior on Wednesday following the Brazilian player’s remarks about Spain’s potential to host the 2030 World Cup.
In an interview with CNN, Vinicius suggested that if Spain has not made significant progress in combating racism by then, the country should be reconsidered as the tournament’s host.
Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida responded to Vinicius’s comments, voicing his concerns about the potential damage to Spain’s image as a World Cup host.
“We are aware that there are racist episodes in society, and that we must work hard to put an end to them,” Martínez-Almeida remarked.
However, he argued that labeling Spain and Madrid as racist societies is unfair and could harm Spain‘s chances of hosting major international events.
Since his move to Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior has been targeted by racist abuse on multiple occasions.
Last year, a notable incident occurred during a league game in Valencia, which led to widespread support for Vinicius and calls for stronger measures against racism in Spanish football.
Article updated 5 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
