“We were loved” – Nigeria legend Mutiu Adepoju on La Liga racism plague in his time

By Monsurah Olatunji

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. has recently been a target of rampant racism, sparking outrage within the football community.

Mutiu Adepoju, a Nigerian football legend with extensive experience in the La Liga, has spoken out about this issue.

Adepoju, who played for clubs like Real Sociedad and Racing Santander in the Spanish top flight and began his career with Real Madrid B in the 1990s, addressed the matter in his latest statement to journalists worldwide.

As a La Liga ambassador at the African Players Forum, Adepoju was asked about the racist abuse plaguing the Spanish game in recent years.

He responded unequivocally, stating that he never encountered racism during his time in La Liga.

“I never experienced racism in LaLiga,” he asserted during an interactive session with journalists on the latest LALIGA initiative on Zoom.

“I didn’t have that problem in the streets, at Real Sociedad, Racing Santander, none of my family members experienced that. We were loved.”

However, Adepoju’s statement does not downplay the severity of the racist behavior directed at Vinicius Jr. It highlights the ongoing need for action to eradicate racism from football.