Valencia CF have publicly responded to the release of a new Netflix documentary centered on Brazilian football star Vinícius Júnior, demanding an “immediate rectification” from the film’s producers over what the club describes as a “misrepresentation” of events.
The documentary, produced by Brazilian media company Conspiração, explores Vinícius Júnior’s career and the various instances of racism he has faced, especially within Spanish football. A significant portion of the film revisits the incident that occurred on May 21, 2023, during a La Liga clash between Real Madrid and Valencia at Mestalla Stadium, where Vinícius was subjected to racist abuse from the crowd.
While three Valencia supporters were later identified, prosecuted, and convicted for their roles in the racist behavior—a landmark case in Spanish sports law—the club maintains that the documentary inaccurately portrays the abuse as coming from a majority of the crowd.
One contentious scene includes subtitled footage where crowd chants are translated as “mono” (monkey), a racial slur. However, Valencia CF strongly disputes this depiction, insisting that most fans were actually shouting “tonto” (stupid), and that the characterization of widespread racism in the stadium is a false narrative.
In a formal statement issued on Monday, the club stated:
“In light of the injustice and falsehoods committed against Valencia CF fans, the Club has demanded in writing an immediate rectification from the documentary’s production company regarding the events at Mestalla, which do not correspond to reality.”
Valencia CF further stressed that the integrity of their supporters was being unfairly tarnished by the documentary’s narrative, and that the situation has caused considerable reputational damage to the club.
The statement concluded with a warning that legal action remains an option:
“Valencia CF reserves the right to take legal action if the rectification is not made, and if the continued dissemination of misinformation persists.”
As of now, the documentary remains available for streaming on Netflix, and no public response has been issued yet by Conspiração or Net
flix.[/]()