Vinicius Junior is currently one of the most intriguing young prospects in both European and international football. Vini’s has one of the highest player potential ceilings, especially following a stunning 2021/22 campaign.
Vinicius, a professional footballer from Brazil, is currently a winger for Real Madrid. His full name is Vincius José Paixao de Oliveira Junior; he was born on July 12, 2000. However, Vinicius Junior or Vini Junior are the more frequent names for him.
Vini is a superstar at the age of just 23 (as of 2023) thanks to his explosive style and exceptional talent. Some people, particularly Los Blancos supporters, refer to him as “Baby Galactico.” Here are a few intriguing things to know about Vini Jr.
1. Started Football at Age 6
On July 12, 2000, Vini was born in Sao Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, a neighborhood that is close to the tainted waters of Guanabara Bay. Vini loved and was obsessed with football, just like many other young Brazilians.
He began playing football when he was just 6 years old, in 2006. This came after his father had taken him to the Flamengo branch offices in the Mutua neighborhood close to his home. Following that, Vini joined Flamengo, and this marked the start of his football career.
2. Rejected from Futsal
Vini is a talented football player with a lot of flair and skill, as he demonstrated today. He hasn’t just recently picked this up; it comes naturally to him.
He took futsal lessons at Flamengo’s school in So Gonçalo at the Canto do Rio after joining the team. Similar to indoor soccer and five-a-side, futsal calls for excellent close ball control and skill.
Vini concentrated primarily on futsal from 2007 to 2010, and in 2009 he had the opportunity to try out for Flamengo’s futsal team. Despite his potential, the club passed him up because of his age, but asked him to come back for the trials the following year.
Vini, however, chose to focus on football and never came back; as a result, he passed his football test the following year. (2010).
ADADADADADAD3. Started as A Left Back
Vini’s club records show that he was classified as a Left back after joining Flamengo. Football players frequently switch positions, either early on after learning their strengths and weaknesses or to suit a manager’s preferred style of play.
Vini’s evaluation caused a shift in roles as a result of it. He moved at a breakneck pace and was decisive in front of goal. As a result, he was switched to left winger, where he currently plays, because his attacking output was higher than his defensive output.
4. Made his Debut for Flamengo in 2017
Vini progressed steadily through the years at Flamengo. Europe was paying attention to him. So, before he made his club debut, Flamengo added a €30 million buyout clause to his contract.
Vini made his professional debut for his old team on May 13, 2017, in a 1-1 draw with Atletico Mineiro. Two days after making his debut, he extended it to 2022. His buyout increased to €45 million and his salary was increased due to the extension.
His alleged transfer to Madrid included the contract extension, and a deal with Real was eventually agreed upon days later.
5. Sold for The Highest Fee for A U-19 Player
Ten days after agreeing to a new contract, on May 23, 2017, Real Madrid agreed to pay Vini’s transfer fee. Although the agreement was finalized in May 2017, the sale would not become effective until Vini turned 18 on July 12, 2018. The reason for this is that the age requirement for international transfers is 18.
After Neymar’s transfer to Barcelona, the sale price of €46 million was the second-highest ever paid for a player from the Brazilian league. The fee was also the largest amount received by a Brazilian club for a transfer and the highest amount ever paid by a club for a footballer under the age of 19.
6. Made His Debut in 2018
Vini joined Real Madrid after his birthday after signing a pre-contract with them in 2017. He received the number 28 and was formally introduced as a Real Madrid player on July 20, 2018.
He made his debut on September 29, 2018, in a 0-0 draw with Atletico Madrid, the city’s ʀɪᴠᴀʟ. On November 3rd, in a 2-0 victory over Real Valladolid, he scored his first goal for the team.
Vini’s season, which was dubbed the worst in Real’s recent history, came to a ᴅɪsᴀsᴛʀᴏᴜs end. During a defeat to Ajax, he tore a ligament, ending his campaign.
7. Broke Through in the 2021/22 Season
Vini had a rocky first two seasons in Madrid. He was undoubtedly talented, but his judgment and finishing in front of goal were criticized by the crowd. It raised the question of how the club was able to acquire him for €46 million.
However, the 2021/22 season will go down in history for Vini and his detractors alike. He was arguably Madrid’s best player of the year, second only to Karim Benzema, who will win the Ballon d’Or.
Vini consistently delivered masterful performances. His finishing became better, and every choice he made was profitable. He scored 22 goals across all competitions to finish the season as Madrid’s second-highest goal scorer.
He also captured the Champions league title and the coveted “big ears,” the La Liga championship. Vini was also chosen by UEFA as the first-ever young player of the Champions League campaign.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70963194/1399877219.0.jpg)
8. Headed to Qatar 2022
Vini was selected in February 2019 for the first team of Brazil’s national team. He was unable to make his international debut at the time due to an ɪɴᴊᴜʀʏ, though.
On September 10, 2019, he would enter the field for Brazil as a substitute in a 1-0 loss to Peru. Vincius scored his first goal for the national team on March 24, 2022. It happened during a 4-0 victory over Chile at home in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying game.
Vini was selected on November 7th to be a member of Tite’s 26-man team for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. He will team up with Neymar and Rodrigo, a Real Madrid player, in an effort to redeem the Selecao after dismal performances in previous competitions.
9. Youngest Foreign Player to Score in El Classico
Possibly the biggest football (soccer) match in Spain, if not all of Europe, is the El Classico. It has a past that includes years of ʀɪᴠᴀʟʀʏ between the two Spanish superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid.
During his second season in Madrid (2019–20), Vini Jr.’s goal at El Classico at the Santiago Bernabéu assisted Madrid in winning 2-0. He surpassed Messi’s previous mark for the earliest foreigner to score in El Classico history with that goal. While Messi was 19 years and 259 days old, he accomplished this feat at the age of just 19 years and 230 days.
