Real Madrid’s Vinícius named UNESCO goodwill ambassador

Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has been named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for his charity work promoting education in Brazil, the UN agency has announced.

UNESCO’s director general, Audrey Azoulay, visited Madrid’s training ground on Friday for a ceremony to formally convey the forward’s nomination to the honorary position.

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UNESCO — the United Nations agency responsible for promoting peace, development and human rights — said the role was in recognition of the player’s efforts through his Vini Jr Institute, which has worked with disadvantaged children in Brazil since 2021.

“Vinícius Júnior isn’t just an exceptional football player, he has also from a very early age been committed to promoting equal opportunities through education in Brazil,” Azoulay said.

“He’s a role model for a generation, and UNESCO feels honoured to have him as one of our Goodwill Ambassadors.”

“Receiving this invitation to be an UNESCO Ambassador at the age of 23 is more than an honour, it’s a victory and a responsibility that I’ll carry for life,” Vinicius said. “Of course I want to be remembered as a great player, but also as a citizen, who made an effort to do something different.

“I’ve fought for education since I was 19, and my Institute is growing month by month in Brazil. With the power of UNESCO, we’re going to have an impact worldwide.”

The Vini Jr Institute is a charity which works to give access to schooling to Brazilian children and teenagers from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, using sport to incentivise them to continue their studies.

Vinícius — who has repeatedly suffered racist abuse from opposition fans during his time playing for Real Madrid — has also campaigned against racism, launching an anti-racism campaign in Brazil in November last year.

Last October, he received the Ballon d’Or Socrates Award for his humanitarian work in Brazil.

Vinícius’ appointment is the second time that a Brazilian footballer has been named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, the agency said, after Pelé, who died in 2022.