Football
Rodrygo the target of racist attacks! Fans were angered by an argument with Messi, but the star Brazilian hit back
Brazilian footballer Rodrygo faced racist abuse on social media after Brazil’s defeat to Argentina in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match. The player himself has already spoken out against them, but it has once again cast a negative light on the football environment as a whole.
Brazilian footballer Rodrygo faced racist abuse on social media after Brazil’s defeat to Argentina in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match. The player himself has already spoken out against them, but it has once again cast a negative light on the football environment as a whole.
The match, which was postponed due to clashes between police and Argentine fans, was not scored until the 63rd minute, when Nicolás Otamendi decided Argentina’s victory. This was the first time in the history of the World Cup qualification that Brazil fell on home soil.
It should be noted, however, that things were happening before the match. It was during the pre-match moments that television footage captured a sharp exchange between Rodrigue, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
However, after the match, Rodrygo revealed on social media, specifically on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), that he had been the target of racial slurs. He expressed his frustration at the invasion of racist remarks on his social networks and stated that he refuses to succumb to such behaviour.
It was the argument with Messi that should have caused tension among fans. That is why they subsequently took to social media and hurled a series of racist insults at Rodry.
Rodrygo commented on the whole affair on his Instagram account after his return to Europe. The Real Madrid star reiterated his stance against racism, highlighting the persistence of racial intolerance and refusing to give in to such behaviour.
Rodrygo and his statement
“Racists never sleep. They appear every time we don’t behave as they think we should. When we wear clothes they don’t like. Or when we don’t bow down to them. But they’re out of luck. We will not give up and we will stop them,” wrote Rodrygo on his Instagram, whose words are also quoted by ESPN.
His teammate and Real Madrid teammate, Vinícius Júnior, of course, immediately joined his side. He has faced a lot of abuse during his time in La Liga, so he knows what he is talking about.
Before the Argentina match, Vinícius initiated an anti-racist campaign in Brazil, posting various messages on billboards around the cities. Rodrygo himself, who has been the victim of racist abuse before, reiterated the need to counter such behaviour and drew attention to the racist messages directed at him, often with pictures of monkeys or bananas.
In conclusion, the incident involving Rodrygo and other dark-skinned players highlights the fact that racism should not only be severely punished, but also fought against in the same way. And so far this has been successful in the field of sport.
Source: ESPN, MARCA, Instagram – Rodrygo
