In a marked contrast of emotions, Vinicius Jr. experienced a new controversy over alleged racist insults in the UEFA Champions League, while his partner, influencer and businesswoman Virginia Fonseca, celebrated one of the most important moments of her media career by making her debut as drum queen at the Rio de Janeiro Carnival.
The sporting episode occurred in Lisbon, during the match between Real Madrid and Benfica, while the celebration took place at the Carioca Sambadrome, the cultural epicenter of Brazil.
Fonseca debuts as drum queen in Rio de Janeiro
Fonseca, 26, was the star of the parade of the samba school Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, where she led the bateria “La Invocada” in front of thousands of spectators. Dressed in a striking red costume loaded with rhinestones, feathers and visual effects, she walked the 700 meters of the sambadrome leading nearly 300 drummers.
Before her performance, the influencer confessed to being nervous in a live broadcast that exceeded 280,000 viewers, where she received words of encouragement from Vinicius himself. As a symbolic gesture, Virginia wore a piercing with the number 7, the number worn by the Real Madrid striker.
In addition, he shared this moment with his children Maria Alice, Maria Flor and Jose Leonardo, reinforcing the family component of a key night in his public career.
Vinicius Jr. denounces racist abuse in Lisbon
Carnival coincided with a delicate moment for Vinicius. In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, the Brazilian denounced having received a racist insult after scoring a goal against Benfica. The accused was the Argentine footballer Gianluca Prestianni, who denied the accusations.
The referee activated the anti-racism protocol and stopped the match for several minutes, while UEFA opened a formal investigation to clarify the facts.
Vinicius’ message and the emotional contrast
After the match, Vinicius published a forceful message on social media against racism, receiving the support of teammates such as Kylian Mbappe and various figures in European soccer.
While the striker faces a new discrimination complaint, Virginia Fonseca chose an opposite scenario: that of party, culture and popular celebration. Her debut as samba queen not only symbolized a personal achievement, but also an image of strength in the midst of the media storm surrounding the couple.
Key facts
- Vinicius Jr. denounced racist abuse in Champions League match against Benfica
- UEFA opened a formal investigation into the incident
- Virginia Fonseca made her debut as drum queen at the Rio Carnival
- The influencer walked with a nod to Vinicius’ number 7
- The episode reflects the strong emotional contrast experienced by the couple
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