Wesley Sneijder has revealed he has received thousands of death threats after publicly condemning racist abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the recent Champions League tie against Benfica, İdman.Biz reports.
The former Galatasaray and Netherlands midfielder was among the first high-profile figures in European football to criticise the behaviour of supporters following reports of racist chants aimed at Vinicius during the match in Lisbon. The incident has once again placed the spotlight on racism in European football, an issue that has repeatedly overshadowed major fixtures in recent seasons.
According to reports cited by İdman.Biz, Sneijder has claimed he received around 4,000 messages containing threats, many of them explicit in nature, through his social media accounts. The 40-year-old described the scale of the backlash as unprecedented.
Sneijder’s intervention came as football authorities faced renewed calls to strengthen sanctions against clubs and individuals responsible for discriminatory behaviour. Vinicius, who has previously been subjected to racist abuse in Spain, has become one of the most prominent voices demanding tougher action from governing bodies.
The episode underlines the volatile atmosphere surrounding high-profile Champions League encounters and highlights the personal risks sometimes faced by former players who choose to speak out on sensitive issues within the game.
