Why did Brazil wear a black Jersey in Barcelona?
During a match against Guinea, Brazil made a powerful statement against racism in football by wearing all-black uniforms. Vinicius Junior, a 22-year-old forward from Real Madrid, not only scored a goal but also attracted attention throughout the game.
This friendly match, held at Espanyol’s stadium near Barcelona, provided Brazil with the perfect opportunity to respond to the racist abuse Vinicius has faced this season. The team emerged victorious with a 4-1 win.
Brazil made a bold statement against racism by changing their traditional yellow and green jerseys to an all-black kit for the first half of the game; it was the first time in their history doing so.
The Brazilian Football Confederation supported this gesture with the slogan “Com racismo nao tem jogo” (With racism, there is no game). Vinicius, wearing the number 10 shirt, scored a penalty in the 88th minute while wearing Brazil’s usual colors.
Joelinton, the forward for Newcastle, scored the first goal by tapping it in from the goal-line after 27 minutes, while Rodrygo curled in the second goal just two minutes later.
Stuttgart’s striker, Serhou Guirassy, pulled one back with a header from close range after 35 minutes, but Eder Militao quickly restored the two-goal lead by rising high to meet a cross at the far post shortly after the restart.
Casemiro, the midfielder for Manchester United, received a yellow card for a late tackle on Francois Kamano, which contrasted with the festive atmosphere in the stadium. Towards the end of the game, Brazil substitute Malcom was fouled in the penalty box, and Vinicius was chosen to take the penalty. He struck the ball hard and low, beating the goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone, who had dived in the right direction.
Earlier in the week, the Spanish and Brazilian football federations announced their plan for a friendly match at the Santiago Bernabeu in March 2024 to address racism, following global outrage over the mistreatment of Vinicius Junior.
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