Former Argentine athlete, Hugo Lamadrid declares that he would return from football just to break Vinicius Júnior’s legs

Hugo Lamadrid, a former midfielder who played with initial prominence for Racing Club of The post occurred a few days after an incident of alleged racism involving the Brazilian during the first leg of the Champions League playoffs against Benfica, played in Lisboa. The former Argentine player spoke out in indirect support for striker Gianluca Prestianni, from Benfica, accused by Vinicius Júnior of making racist insults. Lamadrid, who ended his career more than two decades ago, used the X to make the statement that generated immediate repercussions among football fans and professionals.

The statement adds to other criticisms directed at the Brazilian after the same episode. Former Paraguayan goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert also took a public stance on the case in an interview with an Argentine radio station. Ele defended Prestianni and questioned Vinicius Júnior’s behavior on the field, claiming that the attacker usually insults first. Chilavert extended his criticisms to Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Júnior’s companion in Real Madrid, for showing solidarity with the Brazilian.

• The game between Benfica and Real Madrid ended in a 1-0 victory for the Spanish.
• Vinicius Júnior scored the goal in the 50th minute of the second half.
• French referee François Letexier activated the anti-fracism protocol after the Brazilian complained.
• The match was stopped for around ten minutes at Estádio of Luz.

Hugo Lamadrid’s career began early in professional football. Ele debuted for Racing Club at the age of 19 and was part of the squad that won important titles at the end of the 1980s. He then defended the Aldosivi from Mar from Plata, the Deportivo Mandiyú from Corrientes, the Lamadrid ended his career at the age of 33 at Douglas Haig, an Argentine lower division club, after suffering chronic ankle problems.

Controversial statement by Lamadrid on social media

Hugo Lamadrid wrote directly to X that he would return to football only with the aim of breaking Vinicius Júnior’s legs. The phrase was published hours after discussions increased about the incident in the Lisboa game. The former midfielder did not detail specific reasons in the post, but the timing coincides with the accusations against Prestianni. The message quickly circulated between football profiles on Argentina and Brasil.

The original text contains a typo in the word “piernas”, written as “pieras”. Lamadrid, now 59 years old, maintains an active profile on social networks despite his long retirement. Ele did not delete the publication until the first reports about the case were released.

Professional trajectory of Hugo Lamadrid

The former midfielder built a solid career, although largely concentrated in lesser teams after his time at Racing. Ele played in national and international championships wearing the Avellaneda club’s shirt between 1985 and 1990. Lamadrid was recognized for his fierce playing style in midfield, with strong marking and physical presence. Depois from his experience at Chile, returned to Argentina and played for several teams in the interior and second division.

The player has accumulated more than 14 years as a professional. Ele faced recurring ankle injuries that accelerated the end of his career in 1999. In 2022, he released the book “Lamadrí, el renacido”, in which he narrates the initial glory, the fall due to injuries and the post-football reconstruction.

I went back to solo football to break through the two pieras at Vinicius Jr.https://t.co/W76oM6RBna

—Hugo Lamadrid (@hugohlamadrid)February 20, 2026

Incident between Vinicius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni

The confrontation between Benfica and Real Madrid took place on February 18, 2026, at Estádio of Luz, at Lisboa. Vinicius Júnior opened the scoring in the 50th minute of the final stage with a goal that he celebrated in front of the home fans. Logo later, he got involved in an argument with Benfica players. The Brazilian ran up to referee François Letexier and pointed at Gianluca Prestianni, claiming to have heard a racial insult repeated five times.

Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt during the exchange. The referee immediately stopped the match and activated the Uefa anti-fracism protocol. Players from both teams left the pitch for around ten minutes. Mbappé and other teammates of Vinicius Júnior showed support for the Brazilian during the strike. The game resumed after standard procedure, and Real Madrid held on to win 1-0.

Benfica issued an official statement defending Prestianni and classifying the case as a defamation campaign. The Argentine striker vehemently denied any racist insult in a publication on Instagram. Ele admitted possible use of a foul expression in Spanish, but stated that Vinicius Júnior misinterpreted what he heard. Uefa opened a formal investigation and imposed a provisional one-match suspension on the Benfica player for discriminatory conduct.

Reactions from other former players to the case

José Luis Chilavert gave an interview to Radio Rivadavia and expressed explicit support for Prestianni. The former Paraguayan goalkeeper stated that Vinicius Júnior is usually the first to insult opponents on the field. Ele cited the term “cagão” repeated by the Brazilian as an example of provocation. Chilavert extended the criticism to Mbappé, questioning the Frenchman’s personal values.

Chilavert’s demonstration had repercussions on several media outlets from América and Sul. The Paraguayan, known for controversial positions throughout his career, spared no adjectives when commenting on Mbappé’s personal life. Ele advocated that Benfica protect his player and that Uefa avoid excessive punishment in this case.

Uefa investigation into the racism episode

The European entity appointed an ethics and discipline inspector to investigate the facts that occurred on Lisboa. Prestianni turned over alleged evidence of what he actually said during the exchange with Vinicius Júnior. The Argentine striker faces the risk of being banned for up to ten games if the accusation of racism is proven. Até At the moment, the provisional suspension limits his participation in the second leg of the playoffs.

Real Madrid and Benfica continue to monitor the progress of the process. Vinicius Júnior published a message on social media after the game reinforcing that “racists are cowards above all else”. The case revives recurring debates about racial insults in European football, especially in Uefa competitions.

Context of Prestianni’s career at Benfica

Gianluca Prestianni, a young Argentine striker, has been part of the Benfica squad since 2024. The incident with Vinicius Júnior marked his first major negative exposure in his European career. Prestianni had participated in important games in the Portuguese league before Champions League.

Benfica maintains institutional support for the player. The Portuguese club’s board classified the accusations as unfounded and promised legal assistance. Prestianni continues training normally with the group, respecting the provisional suspension imposed by Uefa.

Hugo Lamadrid’s post added another layer to the debate sparked by the on-field incident. The former Argentine player, away from competition since 1999, chose social media to express his opinion on the case. The statement, although made by someone with no active ties to professional football, gained visibility because it involved current prominent names such as Vinicius Júnior and Prestianni. The episode remains under analysis by international football authorities.