Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior had a rough start to the 2025/26 La Liga season, but by the end of it, he was back to being his club's best player and led all Champions League players in assists. And in the year 2026 thus far, only Ballon d'Or favorite and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has scored more goals than Vini Jr., which is an insane stat when you figure he plays on the same team as Pichichi winner Kylian Mbappe - the striker of Real Madrid.
It is also insane because Vinicius Jr. has faced a lot of criticism from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, with boos, whistles, and accusations that he got Xabi Alonso fired, even though the reality is that Real Madrid and Florentino Perez felt that the Spanish coach was a poor fit for the club.
During his speech ahead of the elections against Enrique Riquelme, Florentino touched on the subject of Vinicius Jr., the renewal that has still puzzlingly not happened despite the mutual affinity (especially between player and president), and criticism for the negative fan sentiment.
Florentino Perez calls the critics fake
Florentino Perez said of Vinicius, via the Madrid Zone, "Vini's contract expires in a year and he still hasn't renewed? There's time. I'd love for him to stay forever. He's won us the last two Champions Leagues and he identifies really well with the club. You know who doesn't like him? Those who aren't Real Madrid fans."
That is a strong statement from Florentino, and it is one that long time Real Madrid fans would endorse, as they are frustrated with a certain subsection of new fans of a specific Madrid player who have tried to paint the Brazilian as a villain. And Flo is not having that.
Real Madrid supporters are on edge about Vinicius Junior, because it is not normal for a player of his caliber to not have a renewal yet despite lengthy negotiations. And as much as both sides are not in a rush and saying that everything is rosy, there has to be a gap in valuation and money here, perhaps exacerbated by all in wages that Kylian Mbappe has earned - and the fact that Real Madrid are no longer winning Champions Leagues since the Frenchman's complicated arrival.
Vinicius Jr. is beloved by his teammates and the one guy on Real Madrid who can truly take defenders on, make things happen, and start and carry attacks with work rate and incisiveness game after game against the best teams in the world.
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