Thierry Henry: ‘Enough is enough’ after alleged racist abuse of Vinicius Jr
Thierry Henry has called for decisive action from football’s authorities after Vinicius Junior reported alleged racist abuse during Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off against Benfica in Lisbon.
The incident unfolded at the Estádio da Luz during the second half of a tightly contested knockout tie. Vinicius had just given Madrid the lead, cutting in from the left before curling a right-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Moments later, the focus shifted away from the goal.
As Madrid celebrated, Vinicius approached referee François Letexier. The official made the crossed-arms gesture used under UEFA protocol to signal a racism complaint. Broadcast footage appeared to show Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni covering his mouth while speaking to the Brazilian forward.
Play was suspended for approximately 10 minutes before resuming.
Allegation and denial
Speaking to reporters after the match, Kylian Mbappé alleged that Prestianni had called Vinicius “a monkey.” The 20-year-old Benfica player has denied the accusation. Benfica have not issued a detailed public statement beyond that denial.
UEFA’s three-step protocol in cases of discriminatory behaviour allows referees to stop matches, suspend play or abandon games entirely if incidents persist. At the time of writing, European football’s governing body had not confirmed whether formal disciplinary proceedings had been opened.
Henry: “At times you feel lonely”
Henry, working as a pundit for CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage, said the situation resonated personally.
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“I can relate to what Vinicius Junior is going through,” he said. “It happened to me so many times on the field.”
Drawing on his own experiences, Henry said players who report abuse often find themselves isolated.
“At times you feel lonely because it's going to be your word against his word,” he said.
While acknowledging that the precise exchange remains disputed, Henry questioned the optics of the on-field confrontation.
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“We don't know what Prestianni has said,” he said. “So we're going to have to wait and see what has been said.”
“I don't care what shirt he's wearing”
After Mbappé publicly detailed the alleged slur, Henry sharpened his tone, urging football’s leadership to match anti-racism messaging with action.
“I want to see the big guys who always talk and do stuff and take pictures,” he said.
Although Henry has previously been critical of Real Madrid in a sporting context, he dismissed any notion of club rivalry influencing his stance.
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“I don't like Real Madrid, but I'm a Madridista tonight,” he said. “I don't care what shirt Vinicius Junior is wearing.”
Henry also rejected suggestions that repeated controversies involving Vinicius should dilute the seriousness of the allegation.
“Who cares? That's the issue here why are we trying to move the subject or the situation? Let's go back to the point,” he said.
Racism has remained a persistent issue across European competitions. Vinicius has previously spoken about abuse he has received during domestic matches in Spain and has called for stronger institutional responses.
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Henry ended with a broader appeal.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “It's a beautiful game… but when someone is getting hurt, we don't act?”
Whether UEFA now escalates the matter will determine how this latest episode is remembered as another flashpoint, or as a moment that forced meaningful accountability.
Sources: CBS Sports, post-match mixed-zone comments, match broadcast footage, UEFA.
