Former Belgium and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard said he would not be surprised if Vinícius Júnior retired from football early because of the racist abuse the Real Madrid forward has been subjected to in Spain.
Hazard played four seasons with Vinícius at Madrid before hanging up his boots in 2023.
Vinícius, 25, has been a target of repeated racial abuse by some opposing fans since arriving in Spain in 2018 from Flamengo.
Hazard empathises with the Brazil international and told Belgium's RTBF: "He [Vinícius Jr.] has so much on his mind before a match that sometimes I think, 'Poor guy.' He knows he's going to go through all of this, that almost nothing ever comes of it in terms of disciplinary action.
"It must be a burden. I wouldn't be surprised if, at age 30, he said he was going to retire, that he was going to give up football, because, in any case, nothing changes."
Vinícius recently accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse during a Champions League playoff game in Lisbon.
The Argentinian winger denied those allegations but was given a provisional one-match ban by UEFA.
Vinícius has been a leading voice in the fight against racism and although Hazard believes the Brazilian is "mentally strong," he is worried the pressure will take a toll over time.
Two years ago, Vinícius broke down in tears during a news conference admitting he had "less will to play" because of racist abuse directed toward him in Spain.
"He's simply someone who loves football and just wants to have fun," Hazard said of Vinícius. "A bit like me when I was on the field. People talk more about what he does or what he goes through than about what he contributes on the field.
"People forget what an exceptional player he is. That must weigh on him. It can't be easy to step onto the field to play a match and only think about football."
