On a night in which Brazil wore an all-black strip to protest against racism in football, Vinicius Junior was on the score sheet and in the spotlight in a 4-1 international friendly win over Guinea.
The 22-year-old Real Madrid forward has been subjected to frequent racist abuse in La Liga this season and Brazil decided the friendly was a good opportunity to strike back as the match was staged in Espanyol's stadium near Barcelona. In a powerful move, they abandoned their iconic yellow and green shirts and were instead kitted out in an all-black strip for the first half of the game.
The Brazilian Football Confederation was behind the gesture, which was accompanied by the slogan: With racism, there is no game.
But the occasion did not pass without incident, as Vinicius later complained about an alleged racist act by stadium security aimed at one of his staff before the match.
"While I was playing in the already historic black shirt and getting emotional, my friend was humiliated and mocked at the entrance to the stadium," wrote Vinicius on Twitter. "The treatment was sad."
During a search at the entrance to the stadium, a security guard allegedly abused Vinicius' friend and adviser, Felipe Silveira. "Hands up, this is my gun for you," the guard is accused of saying, while taking a banana out of his pocket, according to an extract from the complaint filed by the player's friend.
Silveira and three other members of Vinicius' staff complained and called police to the scene.
"Today, once again, another criminal has been publicly exposed," Brazilian football president Ednaldo Rodrigues said.
Vinicius himself, wearing the No 10 shirt, got on the score sheet with an 88th-minute spot-kick, by this time kitted out in Brazil's usual colors.
Brazil players wear an all-black strip in protest against racism after striker Vinicius Junior, right, suffered abuse in Spain. AFP, REUTERS
