Vinicius Jnr is called a ‘F*****’ by ex-Paraguay star Jose Luis Chilavert after breaking down in tears over racist abuse… as the former goalkeeper says ‘football is for men’ on social media

Former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert has called Vinicius Jnr a ‘f*****’ and told him ‘football is for men’ after the Brazil winger broke down in tears when he was asked about being targeted by racist abuse in recent years. 

During a press conference ahead of Brazil’s friendly against Spain on Friday Vinicius said that the abuse was ‘very sad’ and ‘happened in every match’. 

He was asked why he thought he was being singled out and subsequently broke down in tears, adding: ‘Sometimes I have less and less desire to play but I want to keep fighting.’

Videos of the Brazilian crying during the interview have been circulating online, with Chilavert criticising the Madrid winger on X (formerly Twitter). 

‘Bread and circus, he is the first one to insult and attack rivals. Don’t be a f*****, football is for men,’ the 58-year-old former goalkeeper wrote.

Chilavert made 74 appearances for Paraguay between 1989 and 2003, representing his national side at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. He also played for Real Zaragoza and RC Strasbourg during his club career, winning the French cup with Strasbourg in 2001.  

In May 2023, Vinicius was racially abused by supporters at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, with LaLiga handing lifetime bans to three spectators. 

Valencia were fined £39,000 and ordered to close part of their stadium for five games following the abuse directed towards the Brazilian. 

The club subsequently strongly condemned the behaviour, writing: ‘it has no place in football and does not correspond to the values of Valencia CF and our fanbase.’ 

Four people were also arrested by Spanish Police after an effigy of Vinicius was hung from a bridge by Atletico Madrid supporters. 

The winger has hit out against racist abuse several times before, notably claiming last year that ‘LaLiga belongs to the racists’. 

On Monday, he said: ‘It’s something very sad that happens in every match of mine. It’s not just me and it’s not just in Spain, it’s all over the world.

‘I receive a lot of insults while the racist is free; he is not punished. Every day that goes by I feel more and more sad about it. But I struggle on because they have picked on me.

‘I fight so that in the near future it won’t happen to anyone else.’

On whether he had considered leaving Spain, Vinicius said: ‘I’ve never thought much about leaving because if I leave here, I am going to give the racists what they want.’

Earlier this month, Vinicius returned to the Mestalla stadium with Real Madrid and celebrated scoring in front of the stand where he had allegedly received racist abuse last year and raised his fist into the sky as an act of defiance. 

After the match, he had posted a message on social media claiming ‘the fight goes on’. 

Despite that, multiple reports have emerged this month that the Real Madrid star has been targeted by racist insults again. Reports claimed that Vinicius was ‘racially abused by young fans’ while taking part in a friendly match with school kids in Morocco.’ 

LaLiga also launched an investigation after a ‘child allegedly made a racist comment’ to the winger calling him a ‘monkey’.