Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior was presented with the 2023 Socrates Award at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday, October 30, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
The 23-year-old was honored for his humanitarian endeavors through his foundation, Instituto Vini Jr.
Established in 2021, the institute financially supports an educational application tailored for underprivileged children in his home country, Brazil, and fosters greater equality.
In the previous year, the Brazil star invested $335,000 in the project, and in the current year, his contribution has increased to $1.06 million. It is anticipated that he will further boost his funding by 150%, reaching $2.65 million for the year 2024.
Upon receiving the award, Vinicius emphasized the importance of unity in the fight against racism and extended his thanks to his fellow players who contributed to this cause.
The Brazilian has taken the lead in the battle against racism, having endured numerous instances of abuse over the past 18 months during matches.
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What is the Socrates Award?
The Socrates Award, created in 2022 to acknowledge footballers for their philanthropic efforts, was first presented to Senegalese and Al-Nassr forward Sadio Mane last year. The 31-year-old actively engages in various humanitarian initiatives in his home country of Senegal.
The award is named after the legendary late Brazilian footballer Socrates, who was the captain of the national team in the 1982 FIFA World Cup and was honored as the South American Footballer of the Year in 1983.
In addition to his exceptional on-field abilities, Socrates was well known for his political insight and social awareness.
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