Ballon d’Or: As Vinicius Junior wins the Socrates Award, he promises to keep up the battle against racism.
Martinez defeated rivals Mike Maignan, Ederson, Thibaut Courtois, and Yassine Bounou to take home the trophy.
- The Argentinian played a pivotal role in his country’s 2022 World Cup victory.
- When the pivotal save was played at the Theatre du Chatelet, the Aston Villa goalie was jeered.
Vinicius Junior, who won the Socrates Award for his work off the field, has pledged to continue exposing prejudice in sports.
Vinicius, who has endured many racial taunts during La Liga games for the past two seasons, was honored for establishing a foundation that finances school construction in Brazil and builds schools in underdeveloped areas.
After accepting the prize from the Prince of Monaco, the Brazilian vowed to keep up her strong opposition to racism.
It is a joy for me to assist as many kids as I can so they can have a chance, as I had little chance of getting where I am now.”
Established in 2020, the Vini Jr. Institute seeks to leverage football’s widespread appeal to foster innovation in teaching and learning within Brazilian public education.
By the end of 2023, the initiative anticipates that up to 15 schools, 10,000 pupils, and more than 500 teachers would have benefited.
