During this time of the year, many national teams play friendly games. The South American qualifiers haven’t begun yet, so Brazil organized a matchup with Guinea at RCDE Stadium. However, soccer took a back seat.
Vinicius Jr. has been making headlines for a few years now with his stellar play. Winning titles with Real Madrid put him among the best players in the world, but lately he was often on the news for how fans of the rival teams in La Liga have treated him.
see also
Vinicius Jr racial abuse cases: Seven fans arrested
The Brazilian was victim of racism on multiple occasions. Despite the protests and the messages he shared, it hasn’t been enough to stop the abuse. That’s why the CBF stepped up with a powerful statement using an historic jersey.
Why did Brazil wear black jerseys against Guinea?
Brazil opted to wear black jerseys against Guinea as an anti-racism protest. This is the first time ever that the Brazilian national team wears a black jersey. In the 1950s they used to have a white jersey that they brought back briefly in 2019, but their traditional color has always been yellow.
This new black jersey also had an inspiring message that read “Com racismo não tem jogo”. The message in Portuguese translates to “With racism, there is no game”, signaling the reason for their choice. In the second half they returned to the field with their usual kit.
Brazil wore a black jersey for the first time ever. Credit: Alex Caparros/Getty Images
