Racist chants aimed at Mbappé and Vinicius Jr during recent game: what we know

Racism in sport, once again. Racism in society, once again. A loud minority, but still a reality. They exist, and they persist. It keeps happening. On Sunday night, at the Carlos Tartiere, at least two fans directed monkey chants at Mbappé and Vinicius. They came from different corners of the stands. A stain on what was otherwise exemplary support. A stain that, while unrepresentative, cannot be ignored. Because it happened. Because it keeps happening.

The cameras of El Día Después captured it all. It happened at least twice. The first during the 0–1 celebration, when Mbappé slid to his knees and a shameful noise rang out from the crowd. The same sound returned in the 63rd minute, when Vinicius came on. They were few—very few—among the 29,758 who created a brilliant atmosphere in Oviedo. But they were there.

The chants never truly disappear; and while they are punished, they resurface. Not long ago, five Valladolid fans accepted a one-year prison sentence for calling Vinicius a “fucking black man.” At least three Real Madrid supporters were arrested for racially abusing Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The cases pile up: from the insults at Mestalla to those at the Metropolitano. Or Iñaki Williams at Cornellà-El Prat.

It is a scourge that refuses to end. The latest episode came Sunday night at the Carlos Tartiere. At least two fans made monkey chants toward Mbappé and Vinicius. LaLiga, consistent in its stance against racism, is already reviewing the case and weighing action. The culprits must be identified, investigated, and prosecuted. Hate is a crime. And it must be punished.