European sports crowds are tough, but where does one draw the line when it comes to taunting players?
Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr. can't hold back his tears while talking to reporters in England and detailing the racial abuse from football fans.
The Brazil national football team is set to play a friendly against Spain, where he plays for Real Madrid.
The racism he was subjected to while touring the country for domestic games is well-documented.
Read more: Barcelona President Joan Laporta Gives Harsh Opinion on Real Madrid's Signing of Kylian Mbappe
There are at least ten instances where he reported about fans taunting him with racist chants and remarks. Some of the incidents led to the halting of the match.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Spain match, the 23-year-old admitted that the vicious way opponents' supporters treat him almost makes him quit on the spot.
However, he cannot quit altogether as he believes it means leaving the beautiful game to the racists.
"I just want to play football but it's hard to move forward," he said.
"I feel less and less like playing. It never crossed my mind [to leave Spain] because if I leave Spain I give the racists exactly what they want."
Vinicius has been with Real Madrid since 2018 and is contracted to stay at Bernabeau until 2027.
Real Madrid's support for Vinicius Jr.
Dani Carvajal, a teammate with Vini in Real Madrid, does not think Spain is a racist country, a remark that does not sit well with some.
He only thinks that these people are just angry and are channeling their energy in the wrong way.
"I don't think Spain is a racist country, I think we have a very high level of integration. I come from Leganes and I have grown up with kids from all countries," he said.
"Unfortunately, there are people who go to football to vent their anger. If there is a type of comment that could hurt someone, people go down that avenue."
The Los Blancos have been very supportive of Vinicius Jr. ever since the reports of racism.
Last week, the club filed a complaint against referee Juan Martinez Munuera, who did not include in his report the racist chants that Osasuna fans fired towards Vini.
The Spanish Football Federation and UEFA have also taken action to curb such incidents.
La Liga president Javier Tebas initially suggested that Vinicius was being manipulated while trying to defend the league's reputation.
Vini's most scandalous incident took place last year when Valencia fans racially abused him. This led to the permanent banning of the two main suspects and the partial closure of the Mestalla Stadium. The club was also fined $29,000.
Real Madrid also reported the incident to the Attorney General's Office as a hate crime.
The abuse did not stop, however.
Vinicius Jr. was at the center of yet another racist attack in June last year, wherein four men were fined $65,400 and banned for two years from entering the Bernabeau for putting up an effigy depicting Vinicius.
In October, there were reports of racist abuse towards Vinicius when Real Madrid visited Sevilla and Barcelona.
Related article: UCL Quarterfinals Schedule and Predictions - Who Are the Favorites and Underdogs in Each Match Up?
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.