Date set for Spain-Brazil anti-racism football friendly

Dorival Junior speaks during his presentation as the new coach of the Brazilian national football team, at the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 11, 2024. – Sao Paulo FC boss Dorival Junior replaces Fernando Diniz was fired from the five-time world champions following a string of losses. “It’s a personal dream come true,” the 2023 Copa do Brasil-winning coach said in a statement posted by Sao Paulo on X, formerly Twitter, on January 7, after days of speculation he would be named to take over struggling Brazil. (Photo by Daniel RAMALHO / AFP)

Spain will host Brazil in an international football friendly at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium on March 26 to raise awareness of racism, the Spanish football federation said Monday.

The Spanish and Brazilian football federations announced plans for the match in June, a month after Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, who is black, was racially abused by Valencia fans in an incident which provoked worldwide outrage.

The match will serve “to strengthen the commitment against violence and racism in football” with “a great celebration of football between two of the most powerful teams on the international scene,” the Spanish football federation said in a statement.

It will be Spain’s first game in 2024 and Brazil’s second under new coach Dorival Junior.

The Liga match at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium on May 21 was held up for several minutes during the second half after Vinicius, who has repeatedly been targeted with racial slurs in Spain, was abused again from the stands.

The referee wrote in his post-match report that shouts of “monkey” had been directed at the player.

Vinicius, 23, issued a strongly-worded statement