Vinicius’s superb solo effort against Vallecano showed his class and form. It was also the Brazilian striker’s 10th goal in La Liga this season and his 18th in all competitions. With that, Vinicius also increased his scoring record at Real Madrid to 103 goals.
“The Temple of Legends” is welcoming Vinicius. It is worth noting that the record for most goals scored at Real Madrid by a Brazilian player is 104, held by the legendary Ronaldo “fat” (Ronaldo Nazario). Vinicius is only one goal short of catching Ronaldo or two goals short of setting a new record. It could be in the match against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 or in the away match at Villarreal at the weekend. Vinicius is very close to history.
In terms of stature, Vinicius is not comparable to his senior Ronaldo, the striker who shook world football in the early 2000s. However, in terms of achievements, Vinicius has surpassed the “Alien”. While Ronaldo only has 6 titles with Real Madrid (2 La Liga, 2 King’s Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup), Vinicius has twice as many with 12 titles, including 2 Champions League titles, a tournament that Ronaldo has never won.
Despite the attractive offers from Saudi Arabia, Vinicius has always clearly affirmed that his future is tied to Real Madrid. And the 24-year-old striker proves it with his enthusiasm on the pitch. “He has a bright future ahead of him. Vinicius always fights with all his heart in every season. And above all, he is a good boy,” coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his student. This season, Vinicius has had trouble with red cards and overreacting to referees, but he has always received protection and encouragement from his teammates and coach.
At 24, Vinicius is a veteran in the Real Madrid dressing room, despite his young age. The Brazilian striker is in his 7th season at the Bernabeu and is in his prime. Vinicius’ best performance for Real Madrid was 24 goals last season. With 18 goals in all competitions, Vinicius could easily break his own record this season.
The presence of Kylian Mbappe also makes Vinicius have to work harder. This season, Vinicius is no longer stuck to the left wing as before but has been pushed up to play as a striker in many matches. Therefore, the Brazilian player has to adapt to the new position and find a way to resonate with Mbappe instead of stepping on each other’s toes.
And the combination of the two attacking stars is increasingly effective. Two of Vinicius’ goals have come from Mbappe’s passes and vice versa, the French striker has scored six goals thanks to Vinicius’s assists. In the most recent match against Vallecano, Mbappe broke through to score from a smart pass from the Brazilian player.
Vinicius is at the peak of his career. Surpassing Ronaldo to become Real Madrid’s greatest Brazilian player is just one of the 24-year-old’s many goals. Ahead of him are the ambitions of winning La Liga and the Champions League. Even higher is the Ballon d’Or award that Vinicius painfully lost to Rodri in 2024.
