Vinícius Júnior

Vinícius Júnior is a winger built for running at defenders. He usually starts on the left of Real Madrid's attack and is at his most dangerous when he can isolate a defender one on one. His acceleration over the first few yards is explosive, and his top speed is a match for it. He changes direction sharply and keeps the ball close even at full speed. He looks slight, yet there is real power and strength in his game. He also has a sharp eye for the final ball, and in March 2026 he drew level with Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for Champions League assists. He came through Flamengo, debuting at 16 in 2017, and within weeks Real Madrid had agreed to sign him, with the move held over until his 18th birthday. The early Madrid years were uneven: a torn ligament against Ajax ended his first season, and pundits kept pointing to his shooting and lack of end product. At Flamengo he had already been criticised for "doing too many tricks". The turning point came in 2021–22. Playing off Karim Benzema, he scored 22 goals that season, including the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool. He credited a calmer head, saying he was playing "with more tranquillity and more quality too." Carlo Ancelotti praised his defensive work and positioning as well as his creativity, and noted progress in his tactical understanding, fitness and finishing. Neymar went further, calling him "the best player in the world." From there his standing only grew. He took over the No. 7 shirt, and in 2023–24 Ancelotti used him in a free central role, with licence to go wide or swap sides with Rodrygo. He scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in the 2024 Supercopa final and, in that year's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, became the youngest player ever to score in two Champions League finals. He was named the competition's Player of the Season, finished runner-up to Rodri for the Ballon d'Or and won The Best FIFA Men's Player award. At the 2026 World Cup he scored in all three of Brazil's group games. The flip side is temperament. He picks up bookings for arguing with referees and squaring up to opponents, and his celebrations have been called provocative. After he pushed RB Leipzig's Willi Orbán in March 2024, Predrag Mijatović said he had to "calm down", and that month Ancelotti admitted he should "control himself a little better". Two yellow cards in the 2024 Copa América group stage kept him out of the quarter-final that Brazil lost on penalties. Away from the pitch he has become a leading voice against the racist abuse aimed at him by fans in Spain, and in 2023 he received the Sócrates Award for that stand and his education work in Brazil. In August 2026 he extended his Madrid contract until 2032.