Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinícius Júnior said Spain should be stripped of the 2030 World Cup hosting rights unless it improves on the issue of racism, sparking furor in the country on Tuesday.
Vinícius has faced frequent racist abuse from opposition fans, with three men jailed in June over an incident in Valencia in the first guilty verdict of its kind in the country.
The 2030 edition of the FIFA tournament is due to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with CNN published last week, Vinícius said a change of venue should be considered if there is insufficient progress on the issue.
"Until 2030, we have a lot of room to evolve," Vinícius said. "I hope that Spain can evolve, and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin. If by 2030 things don't improve, I think we have to move the location, because if a player doesn't feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it's a bit difficult."
The comments sparked debate in the Spanish media on Tuesday, with some arguing that Vinícius had wrongly characterised the country as racist.
"It hurts me that Vinícius lumps us all together," the former Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Paco Buyo said on late-night TV show El Chiringuito, while the high-profile AS columnist Tomas Roncero called on the player to "clarify" his remarks.
However, Vinícius made clear in the interview that his comments were aimed at a minority of supporters.
"There are a lot of people in Spain, the majority, that aren't racist," he said. "It's a small group that ends up affecting the image of a country that's good to live in. I love playing for Real Madrid. I love Spain, having the best conditions to live here with my family.
"We hope things can evolve more. They've already evolved, but they can evolve a lot more. For 2030, racist incidents and racism can, and should, decrease."
Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida condemned Vinícius' statements when speaking to media on Wednesday.
"I hope he rectifies those statements immediately," he said. "We are all aware that there are still racist episodes in society and we have to work hard to eliminate them, but it is deeply unfair to Spain and Madrid to say that we are a racist society as Vinícius has said.
"It jeopardises the holding of the 2030 World Cup here in Madrid and in Spain ... Even though he is an extraordinary footballer, that doesn't mean he can put his foot in his mouth, and he has put his foot in his mouth.
Martínez-Almeida went on to say Vinícius should ask for forgiveness from the people of Madrid and Spain.
Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente agreed with the Madrid mayor that the country was not racist.
"Spain isn't racist," he said. "Spain is an example of co-existence, respect and integration. It's an example a lot of people should look at.
"Are there always a few undesirables? Of course... But Spain isn't racist, it's a country a lot of other countries should look at. Spain hosting the World Cup with Morocco and Portugal will be something unique."
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal said he agreed with Vinícius that racism in the stadiums is a problem, but did not think Spain should be stripped of the 2030 World Cup.
"I'd just say that we, [Vinícius'] teammates, the players, the manager, we're against any racist incident in stadiums. I know what Vini suffers. We've supported him internally and publicly.
"LaLiga is improving its protocols so that people who go to stadiums to insult people for the color of their skin shouldn't be allowed back into sporting events," he said. "But beyond that small group of people, I don't think that Spain doesn't deserve to host the World Cup.
"Spain has a huge cultural diversity, there are a lot of cultures living in our country, for me, since I was little I've been around lots of different nationalities in my neighbourhood in Leganés. Spain isn't a racist country."
Vinicius, 24, has won two Champions Leagues and three LaLiga titles since joining Madrid in 2018.
The issue of racism in Spanish football received worldwide attention when the Brazil international was racially abused by fans at Valencia's Mestalla stadium in May 2023.
Last month, ESPN reported that Vinícius -- who has a contract at Madrid until 2027 -- was considering a proposal to move to Saudi Arabia, but had postponed a final decision until next summer.