Real Madrid have three of the biggest superstars at the 2026 World Cup in Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham, and all three of these wonderful footballers are balling at their best after difficult 2025/26 seasons with the biggest club in the world. (And that's not even mentioning the club's greatest ever player, Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a beautiful game against Uzbekistan).
But for Vinicius Jr., the shine at the 2026 World Cup has been extra special. Brazil have been begging for someone to step up for Neymar, who has declined due to injuries and spent a decade carrying a pretty terrible Brazil squad on his back. Vinicius had struggled to step into the spotlight and play as he did for Real Madrid with the Selecao, but that has changed under his favorite manager, Carlo Ancelotti.
The Don has unleashed Vini on defenses to the tune of four goals in three games and great all around play on that left wing as the clear leader of the team. And while there have been a lot of unfair narratives around Vinicius Jr., especially from a British media that has always slighted him, a Manchester United legend and frenemy of Cristiano Ronaldo has come to bat for Real's No. 7.
Vinicius Junior is not a selfish trickster
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Wayne Rooney praised Vinicius Junior, stating that while people may view Vini Jr. as flashy, he is more effective than flashy, “Vinicius is more effective than flashy. He’s very dangerous and is perfectly suited to this style of football.”
Rooney is 100 percent spot on. There are a lot of people who like to pretend that Vinicius Jr. is selfish or only cares about tricks and flicks, but the reality could not be further from the truth. This is a young man who has already won two Champions League titles as a central piece of those teams and has been unplayable in the biggest games of the knockout stages against opponents as stalwart as Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
He IS a very dangerous player, and as Wayne Rooney points out, Carlo Ancelotti has tailored the attacking system at Brazil now to perfectly fit him. There is a lot of pressing, quick counters, and fluid football on the break that puts Vinicius in one on one opportunities where he can cut inside and score on and exposed keeper. Vini is deadly in transition, and Rooney is noticing what everyone else should be: he is a highly efficient footballer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google