In 2018, he was a brace-faced skinny looking winger with every trick in the book but little end product. He was the boy with immense talent and just one goal, at Real Madrid.
It was then that Vinicius Jnr was posed a question, could he win the Balon D’or. “Yes, maybe when I am 25” was the reply.
Well he has outdone himself because if all goes to plan, this Monday Vinicius Jr will be the new heir to the Golden throne at 24 years old.
The road has never been easy. That interview was a catalyst to promote criticism towards Vinicius and to put him down due to his lack of finishing. His first season, for such a young player, his statistics were relatively good, 7 Goals and 13 Assists in 36 games played. However in the next 2 seasons combined he scored 11 goals with Assists combined in nearly 100 games.
A poor return for a striker in a team such as Madrid and this criticism was felt by the player. However Real Madrid stuck by his his talent, and he went onto break Raul’s record to in becoming the youngest player outfield player to reach 100 appearances for the club. Even Benzema didn’t seem too convinced by him, even going as far as saying “on my mother’s life he is playing against us” during a champions league match in 2021. The name Kylian Mbappe has always loomed large but with Vinicius’ inconsistent form, this only grew game by the game, mistake by the mistake.
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Despite all the criticism from opposition fans, his club’s fans and his own teammates, Vinicius strived to prove everyone wrong, that he was not the pushover, showboat that everyone thought he was. This all began to show at the beginning of the 21/22 season. 22 Goals and 20 assists. The best return by a mile in his career, leading Real Madrid to another League title and the 14th champions league scoring in both the semi-final and the winner in the final.
This only was the start of his rise, and since then he has scored 77 goals and given 59 assists, leading his team to another Champions league, again scoring in the final equalling the tally of final goals with the likes of Messi. Also adding another League title, the Champions league young player and player of the season, and being the player in the last four seasons with the most goal involvement in the champions league.
He now dons the infamous number 7 shirt, he is the face of the Champions League, the most successful player post the Ronaldo-Messi era in terms of accolades, and despite all the drama constantly surrounding him and his high against racism in Spain he has held strong and shown why this Balon D’or is in the hands of the most deserving player. Kylian Mbappe may have finally joined Real Madrid, However it is more than clear that this squad of superstars, has always belonged to the number seven. A squad number which only the best player in each generation of Real Madrid squads has the honour to wear, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul Gonzalez, Emiliano Butragueno and Alfredo Di Stefano to name a few.
With his stunning hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund in mid-week and his winner against Celta Vigo on the weekend, his form has not dropped and it seems as though, if he does win the Balon d’Or on Monday, that it won’t be his only one in his career.
