Rio Ferdinand labels Jose Mourinho 'father figure' for black players as he defends Benfica boss over Vinicius Jr racism storm
Goal | 24.02.2026 08:15
The veteran Portuguese coach suggested that Vinicius had partially incited the home crowd with his exuberant celebrations after scoring the match-winning goal. When pressed on whether the forward was responsible for the hostile atmosphere, Mourinho said "yes, I believe so," a comment that led some observers to accuse the former Manchester United boss of blaming a victim of racial abuse. However, Ferdinand believes the 63-year-old's track record proves he is not a racist.
