Vinícius Jr. scored for Real Madrid in their 3-1 Copa del Rey quarterfinal win over Atlético Madrid on Thursday, shortly after an effigy of him was found hanging from a bridge in Madrid.
Álvaro Morata put Atlético ahead, but Rodrygo’s spectacular goal equalized the match, sending it to extra time. Real Madrid secured their victory with Karim Benzema and Vinícius Jr. finding the net, especially after Stefan Savić’s red card reduced Atlético to 10 men.
Following his goal, Vinícius celebrated passionately, a gesture that had previously sparked abuse from rival fans. He later posted on social media, declaring his love for Madrid and emphasizing that “love will always beat hate.”
The incident involving the effigy, dressed in a Real Madrid jersey with Vinícius’ name and number, is being investigated as a potential hate crime by Spanish national police.
The effigy was found near Real Madrid’s training ground along with a banner reading “Madrid hates Real,” which was removed before police arrived.
Both La Liga and Atlético Madrid condemned the act, with Atlético calling it “repugnant and unacceptable.” Real Madrid also expressed their firm condemnation of the racist act and thanked supporters for their concern.
FIFPRO, the global union for professional football players, demanded legal action against the perpetrators.
Vinícius has faced racist abuse before, including during a match against Real Valladolid and in a previous derby against Atlético. Despite such incidents, he remains resilient, stating that his desire to win and his joy are stronger than the hate he faces.