Rio Ferdinand Condemns Jose Mourinho Over Vinicius Jr Racism Remarks
Rio Ferdinand has launched a passionate defence of Vinicius Junior, following comments from Jose Mourinho that implied the Real Madrid star was partly responsible for alleged racist abuse during a match. The incident occurred in Real Madrid's 1-0 victory over Benfica, where the game was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius reported that Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni had racially abused him.
Prestianni has denied the allegations, stating that Vinicius misinterpreted his words. The controversy arose after Vinicius scored and celebrated by dancing near the corner flag, in front of home supporters who threw objects at him. Mourinho later suggested that Vinicius should not have celebrated in such a manner, claiming it incited the crowd, a view that has drawn widespread criticism from pundits including Wayne Rooney, Clarence Seedorf, and Jamie Carragher.
Ferdinand's Furious Response on Social Media
In a video posted on Instagram, Ferdinand expressed his disbelief at the attempts to justify racist behaviour. He said, "How are we still sitting here talking about racism? But then how are we sitting here trying to justify when someone says something racist because 'oh it's Vini's fault, if he didn't do that then the kid wouldn't say this'. No, I'm not accepting it. We can't accept this." He emphasised that football is meant to be a beautiful game, but such incidents set it back significantly.
Ferdinand argued that celebrations are an integral part of football, referencing iconic moments from players like Roger Milla of Cameroon and Nigerian stars. He added, "Celebrations are part of the game. If the authorities are going to start saying you can't do this, you're going to get a yellow card... He's getting booked for celebrating!" He described the situation as "unbelievable" and "crazy," stating he cannot comprehend the logic behind blaming victims of racism.
Support from Teammates and Vinicius's Statement
In the caption of his post, Ferdinand highlighted support from other players, mentioning Kylian Mbappe and Trent Alexander-Arnold for backing their teammate. Vinicius Junior also issued a statement on social media, saying, "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are. But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish them."
He further expressed frustration over receiving a yellow card for his celebration, noting that it overshadowed Real Madrid's victory. The incident has sparked a broader debate about racism in football, with calls for stronger action from authorities to address such behaviour.
