In honor of Black Consciousness Day, Vinicius Jr did a DNA test which found he has ancestors from Cameroon.
In honor of Black Consciousness Day, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) revealed the ancestry of Vinicius Júnior, one of Brazil's top athletes. The ceremony detailing the DNA test of the forward took place this Tuesday (November 19) at Fonte Nova, prior to the match against Uruguay in the 12th round of the South American qualifiers.
In partnership with AfricanAncestry.com, a company that traces genetic ancestry for black individuals worldwide, the CBF discovered that Vini Jr.'s ancestors were part of the Tikar tribe in Cameroon. This initiative is part of the 'Roots of Gold' campaign, which highlights the pride and history of the Afro-Brazilian community, especially in football.
"For us, Vini Jr. is not only the best football player in the world today, but also a symbol of resistance against racism and a global inspiration," stated the organization.
The forward's father, Vinicius José Paixão de Oliveira, was the only one aware of the tribute: "It's important for us to know where we came from. Many Brazilians actually don't know their ancestry, our heritage. But I'm happy, we are from Cameroon too."
Vini Jr. stepped onto the pitch for the clash against Uruguay wearing a special jersey featuring the flags of Brazil and Cameroon.