Kompany about Vinicius; Vincent Kompany defends Vini Jr and criticizes José Mourinho for his statements after the game.

both understand seems well, Kompany and Vinicius 🤝

Vincent Kompany, coach of Bayern Munich, defended Vinícius Júnior in February 2026 after a Champions League match against Benfica Lisbon, during which the Brazilian was racially abused. Kompany specifically criticized the reaction of Benfica coach José Mourinho as a "major leadership error."

Kompany cited the following reasons for his support:

Protecting the victim from victim-blaming: Mourinho had described Vinícius' goal celebration as "provocative" and blamed him for the escalation. Kompany countered that one should not attack a player's character to discredit racist incidents.

Credibility of emotions: According to Kompany, Vinícius' reaction on the pitch was "genuine and emotional" and could not be faked; the player had no advantage in exposing himself to such misery, other than the will to do the right thing.

Historical Context: Kompany refuted Mourinho's argument that Benfica couldn't be racist because their greatest legend, Eusébio, was Black. He pointed to the hardships Black players silently endured in the 1960s and emphasized that Vinícius now has a voice that many others lack.

Hypocrisy in Goal Celebrations: Kompany recalled Mourinho's own exuberant goal celebrations (such as the famous knee slide at Old Trafford) and insisted that a player deserves respect regardless of their celebration style.

Personal Experience: Kompany spoke of his own experiences with racism as a player and manager and criticized the often-followed "political damage control" that attempts to cover up such incidents.

Kompany later reiterated that football needs “different personalities” like Vinícius – similar to how Franck Ribéry used to be at Bayern – and that disagreements about a player’s behavior should never lead to crossing a “red line”.