Vinicius Junior’s Netflix documentary “Baila, Vini” released on May 15, has sparked controversy—and drawn poor reviews—among soccer fans. Now, the Real Madrid star finds himself at the center of a new dispute, as Valencia CF accuses Netflix of “slander” against its supporters.
In recent years, Vinicius has been the target of insults from some Valencia fans—incidents that led to three individuals being sentenced to eight months in prison. The documentary highlights one of those episodes, but according to Valencia, it misrepresents the fanbase and distorts the facts.
One episode of the documentary features a TikTok clip from the May 2023 La Liga match at Mestalla Stadium, where Vinicius claimed he was subjected to racist abuse from sections of the crowd.
The controversy arises from the way the video is presented in the documentary. In the footage, Valencia fans are chanting “tonto, tonto” (“dumb, dumb”), but the subtitles incorrectly translate the chant as “mono, mono” (“monkey, monkey”). This change has reignited tensions between the club and the player. At the time, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti later stated publicly that the chant had not been heard during the game.
Valencia’s statement
Following the documentary’s release, Valencia CF issued a strong statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, demanding Netflix and the documentary’s producers issue an immediate correction:
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“In light of the injustice and falsehoods committed against Valencia CF’s fanbase, the Club has formally demanded an immediate correction from the producers of the documentary regarding the events at Mestalla, which do not reflect reality. Truth and respect for our fans must prevail. Valencia CF reserves the right to take legal action as permitted by law. #RESPECT.”
The incident at Mestalla in 2023 was far from the last time Vinicius and Valencia clashed. In a rematch at Mestalla on January 3, 2025, during the current La Liga season, home fans once again chanted “tonto” at Vinícius. The Brazilian responded on the pitch—referencing the possibility of Valencia being relegated.
The conflict between Valencia and Vinicius Junior has escalated over the years, and now, with accusations of defamation in a globally distributed documentary, it remains to be seen whether the club will pursue legal action. Netflix and the documentary’s producers may now be forced to issue a correction to avoid further fallout.
