Wesley Sneijder receives over 4,000 death threats after defending Vinicius Junior

Former Wesley Sneijder has revealed he received more than 4,000 death threats after publicly supporting Vinicius Junior following a racist incident during Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Benfica in Lisbon.

The episode occurred in the first leg of the round of 16 at the Estadio da Luz, where allegations emerged that Benfica striker Gianluca Prestianni directed racist insults towards Vinicius Junior.

UEFA has since handed Prestianni a one-match suspension, ruling him out of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, while its disciplinary committee continues its investigation.

Sneijder, speaking on Ziggo Sport where he works as a consultant, said he was shocked by the scale and intensity of the online threats.

“This story is not going to end quickly,” he said, describing over 4,000 abusive messages sent to him after defending Vinicius and criticising Prestianni’s alleged actions.

The former Dutch midfielder expressed his frustration at the reaction, stressing that expressing an opinion should never lead to intimidation or violence.

He added that even some Benfica players appeared to believe Vinicius’ account of the incident.

“Fear was visible on Prestianni’s face during the incident,” Sneijder said, suggesting the striker was aware of the seriousness of his conduct.

Sneijder also reiterated that while everyone is entitled to their opinion, threats and abuse are never acceptable, regardless of the origin.

His comments highlight the broader challenge football faces in addressing racism on and off the pitch, as UEFA continues to investigate the case.

The controversy surrounding Vinicius Junior remains at the forefront of discussions as Real Madrid and Benfica prepare for the high-stakes second leg in Madrid.