English Premier League
Vinicius Junior appears to mock distinctive Teresa Herrera trophy after Real Madrid win
Vinicius Junior appeared to make fun of the distinctive Teresa Herrera trophy after Real Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 in their latest pre-season match on Wednesday.
The Brazil forward was seen speaking to members of Real Madrid’s coaching staff after the final whistle, with his comments and gestures seemingly directed at the unusual design of the trophy presented to the winners.
Real Madrid secured the victory through Brahim Diaz, who scored in first-half stoppage time. The Morocco international finished the move after receiving a long-range pass from Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, whose distribution created the opportunity.
The match was played at the ABANCA-RIAZOR stadium in La Coruna, where the Teresa Herrera tournament is traditionally held. Vinicius Junior started the game as Real Madrid continued preparations for the new season under Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho.
The trophy has a design inspired by the Torre de Hercules, one of La Coruna’s best-known landmarks. Its connection with the famous tower gives the award a large and distinctive appearance, which seemed to be the focus of Vinicius Junior’s reaction after Real Madrid’s success.
Although the competition is a pre-season friendly tournament, the Teresa Herrera is one of the oldest summer football events in Spain. It was first staged in 1946, with the original aim of raising money for people living in poverty.
Real Madrid’s narrow win therefore delivered both a positive result during their preparations and another Teresa Herrera title, while the ceremony provided the backdrop for Vinicius Junior’s apparent joke about the trophy’s shape.
Diaz’s goal came just before the interval, in the 45th minute plus one, and proved enough to separate the two sides. Deportivo La Coruna were unable to find an equaliser after the break as Real Madrid held on for victory.
The result was secured despite the game being played as part of Real Madrid’s build-up to the new campaign rather than a competitive domestic or European fixture. The occasion nevertheless gave the Spanish club the chance to claim a trophy with a long history and a design closely associated with La Coruna.
For Vinicius Junior, the post-match exchange with members of Mourinho’s coaching staff attracted attention because of the apparent focus on the award itself. The Brazilian was involved from the start at ABANCA-RIAZOR, before Real Madrid completed their preparations with a 1-0 victory based on Diaz’s late first-half strike.
