On the sidelines of the Seleçao’s draw against Uruguay last night in Salvador de Bahia, as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) took the original initiative of revealing the origins of the one of its stars, Vinicius Jr.
In partnership with a genetic tracing company, the CBF launched the “Raizes de Ouro” (“Golden Roots”) campaign to promote inclusion and tolerance – with the help of a player particularly committed to fight against racism.
During the warm-up, in a sequence relayed on the giant screens of the stadium and captured by the cameras for the purposes of an upcoming documentary, Vinicius Jr received a certificate of ancestry revealing his Cameroonian origins, and more precisely Tikar ethnic group.
“For an inclusive society in Brazil and in world football”
Present during the ceremony, the president of the CBF, Endaldo Rodrigues, wanted to reaffirm the commitment of his confederation “ in the fight for an inclusive society in Brazil and in world football “. “ Celebrating Vini Jr is celebrating the success of all Brazilians. By knowing its origins, we reaffirm our commitment to an inclusive society, recognizing the fundamental role of Afro-Brazilian culture in our identity and our success in world football. »
“ Through a DNA test, we discovered that Vini Jr’s ancestors come from the Tikar tribe in Cameroon. We are honored to reveal the African roots of Vini Jr and his family, celebrating their tenacity and greatness despite adversity », says Gina Paige, founder and president of African Ancestry.
