Vinicius Jr was the target of an alleged racist insult by Gianluca Prestianni during the Champions League Round of 16 match against Benfica on February 18, 2026.

The incident occurred minutes after Vinicius opened the scoring with a spectacular solo effort.

What happened?

The match was paused for seven minutes to implement the anti-racism protocol before resuming.

Vinicius reported to the referee that Prestianni had directed a racist insult at him while attempting to cover his mouth with his shirt.

Why it matters for Vinicius Jr

The Brazilian Football Confederation expressed its support for Vinicius, describing racism as “an unacceptable crime” that should have no place in football.

The CBF praised Vinicius for activating the anti-racism protocol during the match, calling it an example of “courage and dignity.”

Vinicius wrote on social media: “Racists are cowards,” lamenting that incidents like this continue to occur in his career and personal life.

What comes next?

Kylian Mbappé called on UEFA to issue the toughest possible sanction against Prestianni, saying “a player like this does not deserve to play in the Champions League again.”

Mbappé acknowledged that Vinicius is very upset after experiencing this latest episode of racism and praised his performance: “He scored a wonderful goal that gave Real Madrid the victory.”

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with many calling for stronger action to be taken against racism in football.

Vinicius's goal was a highlight of the match, which Real Madrid won 1-0.

The victory was overshadowed by the racist incident, with Mbappé stressing that football was secondary: “We won the match, but that’s not what’s important.”

The Brazilian Football Confederation has pledged to support Vinicius and fight against all forms of discrimination.

Vinicius's experience is a reminder that racism remains a significant problem in football, and more needs to be done to tackle it.

The incident has sparked a wider conversation about racism in football, with many players and teams showing their support for Vinicius.