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JL CALDERON
Updated
Vinicius He ends the year crowned king of the world. He is with Madrid, as champion of the Intercontinental, and also on an individual level after winning ‘The Best’ and monopolizing all the possible individual trophies in the Doha final: he was chosen Ballon d’Or, MVP of the final and MVP of the tournament. Vinicius reaches the top after a crusade of 2,343 days. The time that has passed since his presentation with Real Madrid, back on July 20, 2018, until his definitive conquest of the football planet.
I arrived at Real Madrid, the best club in the world, and they missed me for a long time, but I have never lowered my head and I have continued working hard
Vinicius
A path that from the beginning was full of thorns that at times erased his smile, unhinged him and brought him to tears. He carried a good number of memes behind him and experienced unusual situations, each more unpleasant. Vinicius accumulated bills that he is now collecting. It seems that he has been playing for revenge for years, with the sole mission of not stopping in his climb until he reaches the top to look at all his critics and haters from the top. Also, of course, to thank everyone who has supported him for their trust and demonstrate that he has fulfilled what he promised on the day of his presentation: “I’m not going to let you down,” he said..
Mbappé, Rodrygo and Vinicius scored the goals of Real Madrid’s victory.
Vinicius is not a youth player, but as if he were because he has been under the tutelage of Madrid since he was 16 years old. “He is called to be one of the greats of this new time”Florentino Pérez announced the day his career at Real Madrid began. A trajectory that for the 18-year-old boy who was then began in the worst possible way, taking him to the limit and running the serious risk of turning it into a ‘broken toy’. He has been the center of attention, of criticism… Always on target. He has faced rivals, stands and referees, but What he has really rebelled against has been racism. since at the Camp Nou, in the 21-22 season, he suffered the first attack. Vinicius’ takeoff took a long time to comebut it has been flying for a long time at a height that very few can reach. His crusade is in its seventh chapter, that of the coronation. “I arrived at Real Madrid, the best club in the world, and they missed me for a long time, but I have never lowered my head”the player has acknowledged. One of the greatest stories of improvement ever told.
18-19: a child at the head of a Madrid in crisis
Vinicius He begins alternating presences with Castilla and with the first team. With the reserve team he played five games and scored four goals. A start in Castilla that is already experiencing a couple of controversial episodes after the bite on the head that he received in a derby and the expulsion he suffers against Celta B. Solari ends his ‘excursions’ to the reserve team and consolidates it in the first equipment. Bet on him and the Brazilian is beginning to show signs of the potential he has. The team’s sporting crisis does not help it and an injury in March ends his season. He scored three goals for Madrid and won his first title, the Club World Cup.
Not all players can wear this shirt nor have the opportunity to play for the best team in the world. We are chosen, it is something unique that few players have been able to accomplish
Vinicius
19-20: Zidane assigns him a secondary role
In his second season he experiences a slower progression than expected in terms of the growth of his role in the team. Zidane assigns him a secondary role and the Brazilian is by no means a regular starter. At the beginning of this season, criticism of the young Brazilian is fierce. So much pressure translated into an image that went viral against Osasuna, on September 25, 2019. Vini scored 1-0 and in the celebration he burst into tears. The buzz around him was constant, even from colleagues (the cameras caught the Betic Joaquín making fun of him). His future in Madrid gave rise to talk in both markets. First there was speculation with a loan in the winter and then with a possible transfer in the summer, with PSG very aware of his situation. He played 38 games, scored five goals and gave four assists.. He won two more titles, the Spanish Super Cup and the League.
20-21: Benzema’s crack and his explosion against Liverpool
Zidane increases his confidence in Vinicius, but he is not decisive and misses the opportunities he offers him. A ‘caught’ of Benzema portrays the disappointment with the Brazilian. In a chat with Mendy in the locker room tunnel during the break of the match against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League, the 9 vents: “He does what he wants. Brother (to Mendy), don’t play with him… Oh my goodness. Play against us”. A criticism from within to add to those that came from outside. The season was not easy for Viniciusbut it would end the turning point of the tie against Liverpool. His double in the first leg and the praise from Klopp They represented a before and after. He played 49 games and scored six goals.
21-22: Ancelotti’s arrival elevates him
Vinicius He begins his fourth season in Madrid as a substitute. Ancelotti starts with Hazard, Benzema and Bale in attack. But three goals from the Brazilian in the first two days change everything. Vinicius enters the eleven to never get out of it again. The player increases his status as a Real Madrid star week after week. It is untouchable, differential and unstoppable. Carletto brings out the best in him and the culmination of his ‘explosion’ comes with the goal that gives Madrid the fourteenth Champions League in Paris. For the first time, he surpasses the 20-goal mark (22)gives 20 assists and wins three more titles: Spanish Super Cup, League and Champions League. The best Vinicius arrives to cushion the blow of the new ‘no’ to Madrid Mbappewho renews with PSG.
22-23: a stellar Vinicius… and controversial
For the first time he starts as an indisputable figure of Real Madrid. The Brazilian continues to increase his spectacular performance and is the protagonist of the three new titles that Real Madrid wins: European Super Cup, Club World Cup and Copa del Rey. Sonada was the exhibition he gave at the Camp Nou in the Cup Classic that put Madrid in the final. He brings his scoring record to 23 goals and gives 21 assists. On the negative side is the tension that is felt around his figure. He is the center of controversy almost in every game and receives 16 yellow cards! among all competitions. He goes to ‘war’ with rivals, referees, stands… His relentless fight against racism, which experienced regrettable and denounceable episodes, had its moment of greatest tension in Mestalla, where he would end up expelled.
This time he beats Rodri in the outcome of the FIFA award.
23-24: ‘galactic’ status
Vinicius already has star status and this is confirmed by the galactic renewal that he signs in October 2023, which protects him until 2027 with a 1,000 million euro clause and places him among the highest paid in the squad. Now without Benzema, the Brazilian assumes the responsibility of leading the attack and does so in a big way. Ancelotti takes him to a new dimension in which he is unstoppable and reaches 24 goals. His partnership with Bellingham wreaks havoc and stars in the new League-Champions double. Vinicius He scores again in the final against Dortmund. He continues without reducing the noise of the controversy around him and His attitude on the field is a constant source of tension. The controversy around him grows at the same pace as his football.
24-25: crowned ‘The Best’
Mbappé arrives, but Vinicius holds his own for the Frenchman’s stardom and remains the team’s great offensive reference. Shares galactic status with Kylian in every wayeven when taking penalties. He defends his position on the wing and it is Mbappé that Ancelotti has moved to make room for both. At the moment he is the team’s top scorer with 14 goals. After the disappointment of not winning the Ballon d’Or, he wins ‘The Best’ and is crowned the best player in the world. The controversy on the field does not abandon him, as demonstrated by his latest incident in Vallecas against Rayo.
