When one thinks of Real Madrid's recent success, Karim Benzema is most likely the name that comes to mind. The Frenchman's record-setting goal tally during the 2021/22 campaign put him on course to secure the 2022 Ballon d'Or, but a big part of how the veteran was able to get his hands on the illustrious Golden Ball was a young Brazilian superstar named Vinicius Junior. The forward has gone from being slated to producing goals almost every matchday, yet he still seems to be left out of conversations regarding the world's best. This week, Soccer Laduma international football writer Kamogelo Motecwane takes a look at how the 22-year-old's performances over the past two seasons have gone under the radar.
Stepping Up To The Bernabeu Challenge
When Real Madrid failed to acquire Kylian Mbappe's services prior to the commencement of the 2021/22 season, it seemed as though the LaLiga giants would have to count on an ageing frontline of Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale to right the wrongs of a trophyless season from the previous campaign. While new manager Carlo Ancelotti did start with the aforementioned players in his attack, it was not long before Vinicius made a strong case to be in the starting XI. In Real's second league game of the season, the Sao Goncalo native came off the bench to help his team salvage a 3-3 draw against Levante with a brace, and from then on out, the winger would start on the left wing. He scored five goals in his opening five league matches – two more than he managed in the 35 outings he had during the 2020/21 campaign. Ancelotti's arrival marked a turning point for the attacker's career as up until that point, the South American had come under intense scrutiny for not being clinical in the final third of the pitch. This was an accusation aimed at the youngster for much of his first two seasons in the Spanish capital, and while there was an element of truth to this criticism, his time with Los Blancos was really the first time he had begun to play regular first-team football. When the record European champions agreed a deal with Brazilian giants Flamengo for his services in 2018, the pacey winger had played hardly few minutes with the senior side. So, even after playing 45 matches with the Rubro-Negro, Vinicius arrived in Madrid with a lot of developing still to do. The Spanish outfit matured the attacker carefully. They first started him off in their reserve side, but after his head coach for that team, Santiago Solari, was promoted to take over the first team, the former Los Blancos midfielder took the prodigious young talent up with him. While he was doing well with his fellow youngsters in Real's second side, the Brazilian came into the senior fold when it was very much in flux, but became a starter within months of Solari's appointment. Vinicius sparked a flat-lining season into life with his pace and creativity. The rest of the campaign would not go according to plan for the Brazilian, however, as he would get injured in his side's 4-1 UEFA Champions League defeat to Ajax Amsterdam in the Round of 16. That elimination from Europe would also mark the end for Solari at the club as Zinedine Zidane returned for a second spell in the managerial hotseat. In the off-season, before the 2019/20 campaign, Los Merengues made Hazard the club's record acquisition, a signing their French tactician pushed for. Consequently, Vinicius started hardly any games in the league as his relationship with the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner became difficult. With the former France international seemingly desperate for his big-money Belgian signing to work out, Vinicius was shoved either to the right flank or on the bench as a result. Still a youngster, for the first time since arriving in Spain, the forward now found himself in and out of the team, with people questioning whether or not he was good enough to uphold the responsibility of playing for Real. For all the dynamism, pace and dribbling ability that had become synonymous with Brazilian footballers, Vinicius lacked a decisiveness when in front of goal and would often squander good opportunities. This issue culminated in an incident at half-time of Madrid's Champions League group game away at Borussia Monchengladbach early in the 2020/21 season, when Benzema was heard telling left-back Ferland Mendy: "Don't pass to (Vinicius), brother. He's playing against us." The Lyon native would not pass to Vinicius for much of the second half before the talented youngster was substituted off. Later in that European campaign, Zidane's charges would come up against an injury-riddled Liverpool side in the quarterfinals, and it is in this game that Vinicius showed a glimpse of what was to come. Two goals either side of half-time ensured that the Selecao was the main protagonist in a 3-1 Real victory.
Coming Of Age
While Real would be knocked out by eventual champions Chelsea in that iteration of Europe's premier club competition, Vinicius would undertake a beautiful metamorphosis during the following off-season. Coupled with Ancelotti's return, the U17 South American champion would go on to rack up some impressive numbers in the 2021/22 season. Brazil's very own finished with 22 goals and 20 assists as he helped Real become champions of Spain and Europe. The former Juventus, AC Milan and Paris Saint- Germain boss has made tactical adjustments to better suit players like the Brazil international as Real began to sit deeper and draw sides forward, specifically to open up space for him to dash into on the counter-attack. It is his directness and dribbling ability that helped him draw in multiple defenders and open spaces for his fellow attackers, especially Benzema. The biggest beneficiary of Vinicius' leap in quality was undoubtedly the club captain as assists to the clinical marksman became a common theme for Real's newest superstar throughout their triumphant campaign. The end of the season saw Benzema ordained as the world's best player, but his South American counterpart would end in a lowly eighth position in the final Ballon d'Or ranking. The 2021/22 season does not seem to have been a flash in the pan for Vinicius either as the youthful superstar has continued to be productive in front of goal in this latest campaign. In 2022/23, Benzema has been plagued by injuries, meaning the former Flamengo man has had to step up in his absence, and so he has. With 21 goals and 18 assists in 47 matches at the time of writing, the agile forward is on course to have his most productive season yet. Vinicius' performances in the Champions League could see them win it yet again, and for a while he managed to keep Real's aspirations of retaining their LaLiga crown alive, but they now look to have conceded the domestic championship to bitter rivals Barcelona. There is a possibility the Madrid faithful will not see their club win a trophy this campaign, but it will not hurt Vinicius' stocks in the slightest, with his reputation having only been enhanced.
Best In The World?
Back-to-back campaigns scoring 20+ goals for arguably the biggest club in the world at 22 years old is rarefied air. From being lambasted by his own teammates during a Champions League match to dazzling in the competition nearly every week, Vinicius has illustrated a tremendous mental strength at a very young age. Combine that with his natural ability, and the Samba Boy could possibly succeed Cristiano Ronaldo as the club's next superstar. Right now, he will have to settle for being the best left-winger in world football. The Brazilian forward has more goal contributions this season than his compatriot Gabriel Martinelli, Marcus Rashford and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Juni Calafat, Real's chief scout, has done a brilliant job at bringing some of the world's best young talents to Madrid with the likes of Federico Valverde and Rodrygo also having a significant impact, but Vinicius is likely to be the crown jewel for the club for years to come as he ushers in a new era of Galactico at the club. With the market so inflated, Vinicius could be the first in a long line of Real youngsters who go on to achieve superstardom donning the famous white.
