Vinicius Junior has been the most talked-about footballer in Spain for some time now. The Real Madrid forward’s attitude and actions on the pitch have been heavily criticised by many, with some even saying that this is the reason that he is so often subjected to racist abuse – an opinion that has been widely condemned, and rightly so.

Vinicius’ situation has led to the topic of racism being widely discussed across Spanish football, including by the likes of Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo, who appeared to condemn the 23-year-old in a recent interview.

One player that has come to Vinicius’ defence is Neal Maupay, who currently plays for Premier League side Brentford. The French attacker took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to condemn those who have criticised Vinicius in recent weeks.

Maupay is spot on in his assessment – racism should never be used under any circumstance. Vinicius may not be a saint on the pitch, but it doesn’t then give individuals the opportunity to abuse him.