Ex-Real star fears Vini Jr could retire at 30 | OneFootball

Eden Hazard analyzed the mental side of Vini Jr, who has been suffering from racist attacks in Spain

Vini Jr has played for Real Madrid (ESP) since 2018. At the Spanish club, the Flamengo youth product has suffered from prejudiced attacks. This persecution could cause the athlete to not be able to cope mentally and retire early, in the view of former player Eden Hazard, himself a former forward for the Madrid team.

— He (Vini) has so much on his mind before a match that sometimes I think: ‘Poor guy.’ He knows he’s going to go through all of this, that almost nothing happens in terms of sanctions. It must be a burden. I wouldn’t be surprised if, at 30, he said he was going to retire, that he was going to quit football, because, after all, nothing changes. He’s just someone who loves football and just wants to have fun. A bit like me when I was on the field — said the Belgian, in an interview with the broadcaster ‘RTBF’.

— People talk more about what he does or what he suffers than about what he contributes on the field. People forget what an exceptional player he is. That must weigh on him. It can’t be easy to go onto the pitch to play a match and think only about football. When you dance, dance in a way that makes people like you. Ronaldinho also danced, and I don’t remember seeing all these stories — he added.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO VINI IN SPAIN, AFTER ALL?

Currently 25 years old, Vini has already been the target of “monkey” chants from fans and even players on pitches in Spain and Europe. As highlighted by Hazard, there is practically no punishment for the offenders. Even with all the prejudice and regrettable attacks, the youngster revealed by Flamengo manages to ‘take it in stride’ and shines on the field.

Last Wednesday (11), Vini stood out in Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Manchester City (ENG) in the Champions League round of 16. The competition is, in fact, the forward’s favorite, and he is a two-time champion of the tournament, having scored in each final.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.