Brazil’s players line up for national anthems before the start of the international friendly football match between Brazil and Guinea at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat near Barcelona on June 17, 2023. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)

Brazil abandoned their iconic yellow and green shirts and were instead kitted out in an all-black strip in a stand against racism when they played Guinea in a friendly international on Saturday.

The powerful move comes after Brazil’s Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior was repeatedly a target of racist attacks this season.

The match is being played in Barcelona at Espanyol’s 40,000 capacity home where Vinicius, 22, and his Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo lead the forward line for Brazil.

It is the first time in Brazil’s history that they have worn black, except for goalkeepers.

The Brazilian Football Confederation is behind the move accompanied by the slogan of “Com racismo nao tem jogo” (With racism, there is no game).

Earlier in the week the Spanish and Brazilian football federations presented their plan for a friendly match at the Santiago Bernabeu in March 2024 to combat racism following global outrage at the abuse of Vinicius Junior. AFP