Last year, Vinicius got the Socrates award, named after the Brazil football hero, in recognition of his humanitarian work.

Vinicius Junior, a Brazilian player, was appointed “goodwill ambassador for education for all” by the United Nations Cultural Agency on Friday.

The 23-year-old Real Madrid forward described becoming a UNESCO ambassador as “more than an honor”.

“It’s an accomplishment and a responsibility that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life,” he said during a ceremony at the club’s training facility in Madrid.

“Of course, I want to be recognized as a great player, but also as a citizen who tried to make a difference.”Image

According to UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay, Vinicius was picked not just for being “an exceptional football player” but also for being “a committed advocate for equal opportunity through education in Brazil”.

Vinicius, who has been routinely targeted with racial slurs in Spain, has emerged as a pioneer in the fight against racism in football.

According to UNESCO, he founded the Instituto Vini Jr. in 2021 to assist Brazilian adolescents and teenagers from impoverished neighborhoods in resuming education.

Vinicius finished sixth in the Ballon d’Or voting last year and received the Socrates award, named after Brazil’s football great, for his humanitarian efforts.

He was signed by Real for 45 million euros as a teenager from Brazilian club Flamengo, and he is expected to stay with the Spanish club until 2027.

According to UNESCO, 250 million children and teens do not have access to education, with social inequality being one of the leading causes of dropout.