With his amazing hat – trick against Dortmund, Vinicius Junior was not only praised but also affirmed that he deserves to win the 2024 Golden Ball award .
“A shower of compliments” for hero number 7
On the night of October 22, Brazilian superstar Vinicius played an excellent match against Borussia Dortmund, the opponent he and his teammates lost to in the Champions League final last June. Vinicius exploded in the second half with 3 goals in the 62nd, 86th and 90+3rd minutes, making him a rare player to be rated 10/10 by prestigious football websites around the world. After the match, coach Carlo Ancelotti proudly affirmed: “There are very few strikers in the world who can play extraordinary football like Vini did in just the second half.”
The Italian strategist’s compliments for his favorite student were not only due to the 3 goals Vinicius scored. Carletto’s recognition also came from his assessment that the star wearing the number 7 shirt had maintained his enthusiasm, his spirit of not giving up in the face of difficulties, and shone at the moment the team needed him most.
The post-match statistics show that Vinicius was the Real Madrid player with the most shots (7), the second most crosses (6, behind Modric – 7), and the most attacking dribbles (5). All of Vini’s attacking stats are much better than his two attacking partners, Rodrygo and Mbappe.
Vinicius’ historic hat-trick included a dribble from the home field, a solo pass and a curled shot to make it 3-2 in the 86th minute. That was the situation where he started in the final quarter of the field, sprinted about 70 meters past Emre Can, twisted Süle’s flank and defeated Kobel with a tricky shot to the far corner. Witnessing the Samba dancer’s spectacular solo, the legendary Emilio Butragueno had to exclaim to the media: “I see the shadow of the legendary Pele in the way Vini plays football”.
Since they both started from street football, somewhere in Vinicius’s playing style there is a similarity with the late legend Pele: outstanding individual technique, along with artistic improvisation, has created the similarity in Butragueno’s metaphor. This is a very encouraging comparison for the brilliant performance of the 24-year-old talent.
In the early days of arriving at the Bernabeu, Vinicius had many difficulties adapting to the new environment and struggled to find opportunities to prove himself. Only when coach Ancelotti returned in 2021, the potential of the young Brazilian star was fully exploited, helping him become an excellent new number 7 of the Spanish Royal team.
In the moment Vinicius took off his shirt to celebrate the second goal for Real, fans had the opportunity to reminisce about the image of CR7 who used to shine at the Bernabeu in the fierce matches of the Champions League. The Portuguese legend once captivated Madridistas with his legendary hat-tricks against Bayern Munich (2014), Wolfsburg (2016), Atletico Madrid (2017). And now, Vinicius continues to inherit the number 7 shirt legacy of the “King of the Champions League”, knowing how to shine in the team’s dangerous moments.
There are many reasons for Real Madrid to confidently hand over the legendary No. 7 shirt, once worn by names like Raul Gonzalez or Cristiano Ronaldo, to Vinicius. This striker has both talent and will, like his Portuguese idol, to take on the burden of the No. 7.
100 million Euro contract Eden Hazard once failed with this mission, but for Vinicius, he is living the best days of his life in the number 7 shirt.
From 18-year-old “apprentice” at Bernabeu to Real Madrid’s mainstay star
NThanks to his significant improvement in personal technique, scoring ability and team play, combined with his confidence in handling the ball, Vini has created many spontaneous, beautiful and impressive plays in the hearts of the audience.
The versatility and effectiveness on the left flank in decisive situations is one of Vinicius’ strengths that coach Ancelotti is extremely fond of. Because, at Real, this is a prime position that helps Vini grow to become a player suitable for the number 7 shirt, the symbol of stars who can shine in important moments.
Looking back at his learning and growing up at the Bernabeu, Vinicius Jr has made impressive progress since joining Real Madrid in 2018, when he was just 18 years old. Initially, he struggled to score goals and create chances, but his constant efforts have brought positive results.
In the 2021-2022 season, Vinicius scored 22 goals and had 20 assists in all competitions, making an important contribution to the La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles. After that, when Benzema left, the main striker position was shouldered very well by Vini in the 2023-2024 season. Not disappointing expectations, the Brazilian striker scored 23 goals, making a great contribution to bringing the 15th Champions League title to the Spanish royal team.
Vinicius’s number 1 idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, has won 4 Ballon d’Or awards during his 9 years playing for “Los Blancos”. Currently, the Brazilian star is facing a great opportunity to follow in his senior’s footsteps. The closer to the day France Football magazine officially announces the winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or (October 28), the more experts and fans have grounds to affirm that Vinicius will be the winner of this year’s award ceremony.
Thanks to his individual and team achievements being more outstanding than Rodri, Carvajal or Bellingham, it is likely that this noble title will be awarded to Vinicius for the first time. If all the speculations become true in the next few days, perhaps the image of Vinicius standing in the rain, looking far away at Karim Benzema holding the Ballon d’Or in celebration at the Bernabeu stadium will certainly be remembered as an unforgettable moment in the Brazilian striker’s life.
Vinicius has had enough at the Bernabeu. A boy from Flamengo, with a dream of dedicating his whole life to the “White Vultures”, has gone through many difficulties from competing for a starting position at a famous club like Real Madrid to being pressured by racist boos. Vinicius deserves to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or as a recognition for the extraordinary efforts of the boy from Sao Goncalo (Brazil). Vinicius’ victory will not only honor his football achievements, but also symbolize his will to rise, his spirit not to be subdued by gossip and jealousy.
* Vinicius Jr’s titles in Real Madrid shirt :
2 Champions League
2 European Super Cups
3 La Liga
2 FIFA Club World Cup
3 Spanish Super Cup
1 Copa Del Rey
UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Year: 2021-2022
UEFA Champions League Player of the Season: 20223-2024