Vinícius Júnior
Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior (born 12 July 2000), commonly known as Vinícius Júnior or Vini Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward and left winger for Real Madrid and the Brazil national football team. Widely regarded as one of the leading footballers of his generation, he is known for his pace, acceleration, dribbling, creativity, close control and ability to create scoring opportunities.
Born in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Vinícius began his football development at Flamengo before making his senior debut for the club in 2017 at the age of 16. He subsequently agreed to join Real Madrid in a transfer reported at approximately €46 million, becoming one of the most expensive transfers involving a Brazilian teenager. After moving to Spain in 2018, he gradually established himself as one of Real Madrid's most important attacking players.
Vinícius played a decisive role in Real Madrid's 2022 UEFA Champions League triumph, scoring the winning goal against Liverpool. He again scored in the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final, helping Real Madrid secure another European title. In 2024, he was named The Best FIFA Men's Player and finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting. He extended his Real Madrid contract until June 2032 in August 2026.
Early life
Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior was born on 12 July 2000 in São Gonçalo, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He grew up in a modest family and developed an interest in football from an early age.
His father introduced him to Flamengo's football environment in 2006 when Vinícius was six years old. His early club documentation listed him as a left-back. He later moved to the Abolição neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro to live with his uncle, Ulisses, which shortened his journey to Flamengo's training centre, Ninho do Urubu.
Between 2007 and 2010, Vinícius attended futsal classes at Flamengo's school in São Gonçalo. His performances eventually convinced him to concentrate on association football. In August 2010, he successfully trialled for Flamengo's youth football programme.
Club career
Flamengo
Vinícius progressed through Flamengo's youth system and quickly became regarded as one of Brazil's most promising young footballers. His performances for Brazil's youth teams further increased interest from major European clubs.
He made his senior debut for Flamengo on 13 May 2017, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute in a 1–1 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A draw against Atlético Mineiro. At 16, he became one of the youngest players to appear for Flamengo's senior side.
On 10 August 2017, Vinícius scored his first professional goal in a 5–0 Copa Sudamericana victory over Palestino. He scored his first Brazilian Série A goals on 19 August 2017, scoring twice in a 2–0 victory against Atlético Goianiense.
Transfer to Real Madrid
On 23 May 2017, Real Madrid agreed to sign Vinícius, with the transfer becoming effective after his 18th birthday because of international transfer regulations concerning minors.
The reported transfer fee was approximately €46 million, making the deal one of the most expensive transfers involving a Brazilian teenager. The transfer was also notable for being the largest amount received by a Brazilian club for a player under the age of 19 at the time.
Vinícius was officially presented as a Real Madrid player on 20 July 2018 and initially received the number 28 shirt.
2018–21: Adaptation to Spanish football
Vinícius made his Real Madrid debut on 29 September 2018 as a late substitute in a goalless draw against Atlético Madrid. He made his first start on 31 October in a Copa del Rey match against Melilla, providing two assists in a 4–0 victory.
He scored his first Real Madrid goal on 3 November 2018 against Real Valladolid. His first season was interrupted in March 2019 when he suffered a ligament injury against Ajax.
On 11 December 2019, Vinícius scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 3–1 victory against Club Brugge. On 1 March 2020, he scored the opening goal in Real Madrid's 2–0 El Clásico victory over Barcelona.
During the 2019–20 season, he made 29 La Liga appearances and scored three goals as Real Madrid won the league title.
In April 2021, Vinícius scored twice against Liverpool in a 3–1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg victory. Real Madrid subsequently reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by Chelsea.
2021–22: Breakthrough season and Champions League triumph
The 2021–22 season marked a major turning point in Vinícius' career. He began the campaign strongly and quickly became a regular starter under manager Carlo Ancelotti.
He scored twice against Levante in August 2021 and continued to produce goals and assists throughout the season. On 12 May 2022, he scored his first hat-trick for Real Madrid in a 6–0 victory over Levante.
On 28 May 2022, Vinícius scored the only goal of the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool, giving Real Madrid a 1–0 victory and their record 14th European Cup title.
He finished the season with 22 goals in all competitions, becoming Real Madrid's second-highest scorer behind Karim Benzema. He was named the inaugural UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season and was selected in the competition's team of the season.
2022–23: Club World Cup and No. 7 shirt
During the 2022–23 season, Vinícius continued to develop into one of Real Madrid's leading attacking players.
On 11 February 2023, he scored twice in Real Madrid's 5–3 victory over Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup final. He was named the tournament's best player and won his second Club World Cup title.
In February 2023, he scored twice in Real Madrid's 5–2 comeback victory against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League round of 16.
He also scored in the first leg of Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final against Manchester City. Despite Real Madrid being eliminated in the second leg, Vinícius was selected in the competition's team of the tournament.
Following Eden Hazard's departure, Real Madrid confirmed that Vinícius would inherit the iconic number 7 shirt from the 2023–24 season. The number had previously been worn by players including Cristiano Ronaldo and Raúl.
2023–24: European success and global recognition
Vinícius began the 2023–24 season by scoring against Almería before suffering a right biceps femoris injury against Celta Vigo in August 2023. He returned to action in September.
On 3 October 2023, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Napoli. Real Madrid later extended his contract until 30 June 2027.
On 14 January 2024, Vinícius scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4–1 victory over Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final.
He continued to play a decisive role in Real Madrid's Champions League campaign, scoring against RB Leipzig, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. In the semi-final against Bayern, he scored twice in the first leg and produced another influential performance in the second leg as Real Madrid reached the final.
On 1 June 2024, Vinícius scored in Real Madrid's 2–0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. At 23 years and 325 days, he became the youngest player to score in two Champions League finals.
Two days later, he was named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season after recording six goals and five assists during the campaign. Real Madrid also won the 2023–24 La Liga title, giving Vinícius another domestic league championship.
2024–25: The Best FIFA Men's Player and 100 Real Madrid goals
Vinícius produced another highly successful campaign during the 2024–25 season.
On 22 October 2024, he scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 5–2 comeback victory against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
He finished second in the 2024 Ballon d'Or voting behind Rodri. In December 2024, he was named The Best FIFA Men's Player for 2024, becoming the recipient of one of the most prestigious individual awards in world football.
The following day, he contributed to Real Madrid's 3–0 victory over Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final. He provided an assist for Kylian Mbappé and scored from the penalty spot, while also receiving the Player of the Tournament and Golden Ball awards.
On 22 January 2025, Vinícius scored his 100th and 101st goals for Real Madrid in a 5–1 Champions League victory over Red Bull Salzburg. He became the 23rd player in the club's history to reach the 100-goal milestone.
On 26 February 2025, he wore the Real Madrid captain's armband for the first time during a Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad.
2025–present: Continued success and contract extension
Vinícius continued to play a major role for Real Madrid during the 2025–26 season.
On 17 February 2026, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 Champions League victory away to Benfica. The goal took his Champions League tally to 31, making him the second-highest Brazilian scorer in the competition behind Neymar.
On 11 March 2026, he provided an assist in a 3–0 victory over Manchester City, reaching 31 Champions League assists and equalling Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for assists in the competition.
On 3 May 2026, he scored twice in a 2–0 away victory over Espanyol, reaching 21 goals for the season. He became the eighth player in Real Madrid history to score more than 20 goals in five consecutive seasons.
On 6 August 2026, Real Madrid extended Vinícius' contract until 30 June 2032.
International career
Youth career
Vinícius represented Brazil at several youth levels and played an important role in the country's success at youth tournaments.
He was selected for Brazil's squad for the 2015 South American U-15 Championship. Brazil won the competition, while Vinícius scored seven goals and was named one of the tournament's leading performers.
In 2017, he played in the South American U-17 Championship. He scored seven goals and helped Brazil win the tournament, finishing as its leading scorer and receiving the award for best player.
His performances at youth level helped establish him as one of Brazil's most highly regarded young prospects.
Senior debut
Vinícius received his first senior Brazil call-up in February 2019 for friendly matches against Panama and the Czech Republic. However, an injury prevented him from participating.
He eventually made his senior international debut on 10 September 2019 as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat against Peru.
In June 2021, he was included in Brazil's squad for the Copa América. He came on as a substitute during Brazil's 1–0 defeat to Argentina in the final.
On 24 March 2022, Vinícius scored his first senior international goal in a 4–0 World Cup qualifying victory over Chile at the Maracanã Stadium.
2022 FIFA World Cup
Vinícius was selected for Brazil's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
In Brazil's opening group match against Serbia, he assisted Richarlison's second goal in a 2–0 victory. He scored his first World Cup goal in the round of 16 against South Korea, also assisting Lucas Paquetá in Brazil's 4–1 win.
Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia after a penalty shoot-out following a 1–1 draw.
2024 Copa América
Vinícius captained Brazil for the first time in a friendly against Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu on 26 March 2024.
At the 2024 Copa América, he scored twice in Brazil's 4–1 victory over Paraguay. However, after receiving yellow cards against Paraguay and Colombia, he was suspended for Brazil's quarter-final against Uruguay.
Brazil were eliminated by Uruguay following a penalty shoot-out after a goalless draw.
2026 FIFA World Cup
In May 2026, Vinícius was selected for Brazil's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He earned his 50th international cap in Brazil's opening match against Morocco and marked the occasion by scoring his 10th international goal. He was subsequently named Player of the Match.
In Brazil's second group match against Haiti, Vinícius assisted Matheus Cunha and later scored himself in a 3–0 victory.
On 24 June, he scored twice in a 3–0 victory over Scotland and was named Man of the Match. By scoring in all three group-stage matches, he became the fifth Brazilian player to achieve the feat after Jairzinho, Romário, Ronaldo and Rivaldo.
Playing style
Vinícius is primarily deployed as a left winger but is capable of playing across the forward line. He has also been used in more central attacking roles, particularly in systems that allow him freedom to move between the wing and central areas.
His style is characterised by explosive acceleration, high-end pace, close ball control, agility, balance and one-on-one ability. He frequently attacks defenders directly and uses changes of direction, dribbling and quick bursts of speed to create space.
Vinícius is also known for his creativity, passing and ability to deliver the final ball. His movement allows him to operate both as a traditional winger and as an inside forward.
During his early years at Real Madrid, his finishing and consistency in front of goal were areas of criticism. His development under Carlo Ancelotti saw significant improvement in his decision-making, finishing, tactical understanding and defensive contribution.
His breakthrough during the 2021–22 campaign established him as a major attacking threat and helped him form a highly effective partnership with Karim Benzema. In later seasons, he increasingly operated as one of Real Madrid's principal attacking leaders.
Achievements and recognition
Vinícius has won major domestic and international honours with Real Madrid, including multiple La Liga titles, UEFA Champions League trophies, FIFA Club World Cups and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
His most notable individual achievements include:
The Best FIFA Men's Player — 2024 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season — 2023–24 UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season — 2021–22 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball — 2022 FIFA Intercontinental Cup Golden Ball — 2024 FIFPRO World 11 — 2023, 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up — 2024 South American U-17 Championship Best Player — 2017 South American U-17 Championship top scorer — 2017
Philanthropy
Vinícius founded the Instituto Vini Jr., a charitable organisation based in Rio de Janeiro that seeks to use sport and technology to support the education of young Brazilians.
The institute focuses on reducing educational inequality and providing young people with opportunities to develop through educational and sporting initiatives.
Personal life
Vinícius is involved in charitable and social initiatives in Brazil through the Instituto Vini Jr. He has also publicly explored his African ancestry. In 2024, genetic results indicated that his maternal lineage could be traced to the Tikar people of Cameroon, with the Confederation of Brazilian Football presenting him with a certificate recognising the result.
In addition to football, Vinícius has developed business interests. He became an owner of Portuguese football club F.C. Alverca, which competes in the Primeira Liga