Brazil Swaps Yellow Shirts for Black to Fight Racism
Brazil sent a message against racism by swapping their traditional bright yellow shirts for an all-black look during a friendly against Guinea in Barcelona on Saturday.
First Time in Black
The Selecao said this was the first time its outfield players have worn black shirts. They changed back to yellow for the second half.
Racial Abuse
Forward Vinicius Junior, appearing for Brazil, has been racially abused in Spain this season while playing for his Real Madrid club at away games.
Another alleged racist incident occurred on Saturday before the friendly. The abuse reportedly happened to a friend and adviser of Vinicius, Felipe Silveira, at the stadium, the Brazilian Football Confederation said.
Fighting Against Racism
“The fight against racism, a crime that needs to stop around the world, is also why we are here,” CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement. “That’s also why our national team played the first half of the match in black. And today, once again, another criminal was publicly exposed.”
Taking a Stand
At Espanyol’s stadium, Brazil and Guinea posed in front of a banner that read “With racism, there is no game” in Portuguese. Vinicius and his teammates also took a knee.
Victory for Brazil
Vinicius added a goal from the penalty spot to round off a 4-1 win for the five-time world champions.
FIFA Task Force
On Thursday, Vinicius agreed to join a revived FIFA task force to tackle racism in football.
Continuing the Campaign
Brazil plays Senegal in Lisbon on Tuesday and will continue its anti-racism campaign.