Jose Mourinho faced backlash from Clarence Seedorf after seemingly implying that Vinicius Jr had instigated the racist abuse he received by celebrating his goal for Real Madrid against Benfica in the Champions League.
Vinicius opened the scoring for Madrid with a stunning strike shortly after halftime and celebrated by dancing near the corner flag, resulting in a booking for excessive celebration.
Before play resumed, Vinicius had a brief exchange with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and subsequently reported him to the referee over an alleged racist comment.
Gianluca Prestianni conceals his mouth during an argument with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr (AFP via Getty Images)
In an Instagram post, Prestianni denied directing racist insults towards Vinicius, claiming he had been “regrettably misunderstood.”
Following the incident, the match was halted for 11 minutes as the referee adhered to FIFA’s protocols regarding racist abuse. Mourinho was seen engaging with several Madrid players, including Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe, as tension in the stadium escalated.
Mourinho was later dismissed after calling for a second yellow card for Vinicius following a foul. He approached the fourth official in protest and received a caution of his own, leading to a second yellow card.
After the match, Mourinho asserted that he had spoken to both players and claimed he was impartial. However, he criticized Vinicius’s celebratory antics.
“It should have been the exciting highlight of the match, an incredible goal. These talented players can create these beautiful moments, but unfortunately, he [Vinicius] wasn’t satisfied just scoring that amazing goal and moving on. A moment like that should be celebrated respectfully,” Mourinho remarked.
When questioned if Vinicius had “provoked” the Benfica players and crowd with his celebration, he concurred: “Yes, I believe so. The exchanges between Prestianni and Vinicius… I strive to remain neutral and won’t comment further.”
Mourinho also recounted his conversation with Vinicius during the break, advising him on how to handle such situations.
Jose Mourinho converses with Vinicius Jr during the game’s halt (AP)
“I advised him that when you score a goal like that, you celebrate and walk back. I also reminded him that the greatest player in this club’s history, Eusebio, was black. This club stands against racism, so if he interpreted it that way, he’s mistaken. The issue is broader; it seems to happen in every stadium he plays,” Mourinho explained.
“We had a fantastic 50 minutes of football, millions watching worldwide, an astonishing goal, and then it was over.”
Vinicius Jr claims he experienced a racial slur during the Champions League match against Benfica (AFP via Getty Images)
Pundits Wayne Rooney, Clarence Seedorf, and Theo Walcott expressed their shock at Mourinho’s remarks. Rooney labeled them “unfair,” while Seedorf stated Mourinho had made a “big mistake.”
“While Mourinho tries to maintain neutrality, I feel his comments about Vinicius were highly unfair,” Rooney stated during a discussion with presenter Gabby Logan.
Seedorf elaborated, saying: “Mourinho is clearly still emotional. I think he erred significantly by attempting to justify racial abuse. I’m not saying that instance was justified, but he has indicated that wherever Vinicius goes, this happens. By suggesting that Vinicius provokes such reactions, it implies that it’s acceptable to be racist, which is fundamentally wrong.”
“We must never condone racial abuse. Vinicius has faced enough unwarranted behavior, and I know Mourinho fundamentally agrees with me, but he expressed himself poorly today. We shouldn’t be indicating to viewers that a player’s dance is a provocation to warrant racism.”
Theo Walcott succinctly concluded, “This is one moment when Mourinho should have remained silent; he shouldn’t have been in front of cameras tonight.”