Real Madrid currently have two of the best forwards in world football. Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema have already combined to score 23 goals with 12 assists in all competitions so far this season, and they won’t be stopping anytime soon. The left winger Vinicius, in particular, has looked progressively more dangerous with each successive matchweek.
As a 21-year-old, Vinicius is locked in as the future of Real Madrid. He has been more than worth the initial 46 million euro investment from Flamengo.
But at 33, Benzema won’t be a part of the team in five years’ time. Real Madrid will have a new superstar striker at the Santiago Bernabeu, carrying on the tradition of legendary No. 9’s playing for the world’s most prestigious club.
So who will join Vinicius in Los Blancos’ future attack? Here is a look at the ideal front three in five years. One of the choices may surprise you.
LW Vinicius Junior
We begin with Vinicius Junior, who has the left wing position locked down. Kylian Mbappe is at his best on the left side of the attack, but Vini is not going anywhere. He has earned this spot, and his love for Real Madrid is obvious. Vini is a player every club dreams to have, and Real are fortunate to have him in their ranks. They will not displace him. The left wing position is the only one that fits the young Brazilian.
So far this season, Vinicius has been one of the very best players in Europe – not just the most improved. He takes on defenders with confidence, knowing he can beat anyone one-on-one. More than that, he has real attacking intent, using his dribbling skills to either create a scoring chance for himself or for a teammate. Quietly, he is heading into elite status as both a goal-scorer from the wing and as a creator in the penalty area.
ST Kylian Mbappe
Yes, yes, Kylian Mbappe will be the next great striker at the Santiago Bernabeu. And not Erling Haaland. I still think there is a very real chance Florentino Perez is able to complete his ambitious goal of signing both young superstars, forming the best attacking trio seen in recent memory by signing the three young men who will rule football for the next decade.
But think about how difficult that would be to pull off. Haaland, Mbappe, and Vinicius can co-exist, but none of them would get to play in their ideal position. At least one of them would have to play in their worst position in a front three, as Mbappe or Haaland would need to be diverted to the right. In Real Madrid’s 4-3-3, the name of the game is having inverted wingers who can both score with their strongest foot. Real can change that pattern in the future, but I don’t think they will.
Mbappe can be a great striker, even if he prefers playing on the left. Because at Real Madrid, a striker gets more freedom to roam. How many times have we seen Benzema drift inside from the left in the past two seasons? Having the right man on the right wing can help give Mbappe that sort of freedom, too.
The only way for Vinicius and Mbappe to be at their best as a duo in the future is for Mbappe to play in the middle. He could play on the right with Haaland through the middle, but since we are still not sold on that deal happening despite one key reason for optimism, I have Mbappe manning the middle. It’s a very important position for Real Madrid. THE most important, even.
RW Antony
This is the surprise choice. Erling Haaland is achievable, but there are financial and logistical reasons why I cannot sit here and tell you that I expect him to be Real Madrid’s next No. 9, five years from now.
Antony is a very realistic target. Ajax will not be able to keep ahold of him in the next few years, and there’s a real chance he becomes the best right winger in the world by then.
He has been outstanding this season in the Champions League, having roasted Borussia Dortmund in his last fixture. Antony is an incredible creative talent, as his passing is pinpoint. And like Vinicius, he is one of the most exciting dribblers you’ll see on the planet.
A wing duo of Vinicius and Antony with Mbappe in the middle would be devastating for any defense, and it would enable Real Madrid to play a fast, aggressive, modern style of football that can excel either in transition or in possession. Which low-block could pray to contain these three superstars at their best?
Antony is also left-footed. That is important. As Gareth Bale showed us in his peak, having two inverted wingers who can score goals and explode past defenders is the biggest key to dominance for Real Madrid. That goes for both results and aesthetics.
We must track Antony over these next couple of seasons to see if he develops into the player he is truly capable of becoming. Right now, I have high hopes, and I see him as the best alternative to Haaland. In fact, if we view Mbappe and Vinicius as the priorities and the easiest players to have in five years (Vini, after all, is already a part of the team), then Antony might be the top choice in terms of maximizing the talents of those two players.