Juventus star Thuram felt ‘attacked’ when Vinicius Jr. was racially abused
Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram says he felt ‘attacked’ when Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. was allegedly racially abused during a Champions League match against Benfica: ‘It could have been me.’
Juventus star Thuram spoke out firmly against racism in an interview with Canal+, addressing how he felt witnessing Vinicius Jr. allegedly subjected to racist abuse during a Champions League match against Benfica in February.
“It’s difficult as a black boy. In 2026, you can still be attacked because of the colour of your skin,” the Juventus midfielder said via L’Equipe.
Vinicius and other Real Madrid players accused Gianluca Prestianni of making racist remarks towards the Brazilian, but the Benfica talent denied the claims.
Besides this latest incident, sadly, Vinicius has frequently been the target of racist abuse in Spain and across Europe.
“Vinicius was attacked, and it’s as if I were the one being attacked. It could have been me. And all of this just because I’m black? I don’t have the answer to stop this. I don’t have the answer to stop it in stadiums,” Thuram continued,
“Leaving the pitch might be a solution, but I want to play football. It’s my job, and I enjoy what I do.
“There should be stronger actions for those who behave like that. Why should I be the one to leave the field? He should be the one leaving the stadium. We have to stop this nonsense and start taking things seriously.”
Thuram’s father, Lilian, a former Juventus and Parma defender and a 1998 France World Cup winner, is a well-known anti-racism activist, founder of the Lilian Thuram Foundation, which focuses on education to combat racism.
His sons, Marcus and Khephren, play in Serie A for Inter and Juventus, respectively.
Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram has scored three goals and provided four assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.
His contract at the Allianz Stadium runs out in June 2029.