Vinicius Junior’s biography showcases a brilliant young talent from Brazilian football who has rapidly established himself on the international stage. This article will guide you through Vinicius Junior’s promising career, from his beginnings in his native Brazil to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior’s Biography
According to Phspin‘s sources, Vinicius Jose Paixao de Oliveira Junior, commonly known as Vinicius Junior, is a Brazilian professional footballer. He was born on July 12, 2000, and currently plays as a forward for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national football team.
He is considered the “new Neymar” and gained fame from his time playing for Flamengo’s youth setup, where he displayed exceptional talent right from the U13 level. In March 2017, Vinícius Júnior helped Brazil’s U17 team win the South American U17 Championship, scoring a total of 7 goals and being recognized as the tournament’s best player. Vinícius was ranked as the “Best Young Player” (NxGn) for two consecutive years: 2018 (ranked 3rd) and 2019 (ranked 2nd).
Vinícius Júnior made his debut for Flamengo on May 13, 2017, when he came on as an 82nd-minute substitute in a 1-1 draw against Atlético Mineiro in the Brazilian Série A. Two days after this match, he signed a contract extension with Flamengo until 2022, with a release clause of €45 million. Subsequently, on May 23, it was officially announced that he would join Spanish club Real Madrid in July 2018 but would remain at Flamengo for another season, joining Madrid in 2019.
Football Career of Vinicius Junior
According to references from Phspin app users, Vinicius Junior’s journey with the jersey began in 2006 when his father took him to Flamengo’s academy branch, located in the Mutua district of Sao Goncalo, where Vinicius’s family lived. Initially, he was registered as a left-back, and Cacau, a teacher at the school, recalls: “Vinicius’s father brought him to us when he was just 5 years old, and from that moment on, he showed special qualities, superior to other children of the same age. He was calm, composed, and always stood out.”
Born into a poor working-class family, Vinicius moved to Abolicao with his uncle Ulisses to shorten the distance to Flamengo’s Ninho do Urubu training centre. He also received financial support from Flamengo and businessmen. From 2007 to 2010, Vinicius learned futsal at Flamengo’s academy. In 2009, at the age of 9, he registered to play futsal with Flamengo. The club’s management recognized Vinicius’s potential and invited him back the following year. However, around this time, Vinicius decided to switch from futsal to football. In August 2010, he was selected to become a member of Flamengo.
Vinicius made his debut for Flamengo on May 13, 2017. Just two days later, he signed a new contract with Flamengo, extending his term until 2022, and his salary was significantly increased. Along with this came an increase in his release clause from €30 million to €45 million. However, Flamengo’s decision was not just to retain Vinicius but primarily to increase the value of their young talents amidst interest from many big clubs. Ultimately, after one year, Flamengo reached an agreement with Real Madrid.
Upon joining the Spanish royal club, due to his young age, Vinicius was transferred to Real Madrid’s reserve team, Real Castilla. However, blessed with extraordinary talent, the “wonderkid” of Brazilian football did not take long to be promoted to the first team. Starting from the 2020/21 season, Vinicius gradually became a key player for Los Blancos, and the 2021/22 season witnessed a spectacular rise for the future star at the Bernabeu. Specifically, this season, Vinicius scored 22 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions, with his final goal in the Champions League being a particularly important highlight.
At the national team level, Vinicius is considered Neymar’s heir, becoming the future of the Brazilian national team. From November to December 2015, he participated in the South American U15 Championship and shone with 6 goals, helping Brazil’s U15 team win the championship. In March 2017, Vinicius participated in the South American U17 Championship and won the Golden Boot and Best Player awards, while also winning the championship with Brazil’s U17 team. On February 28, 2019, Vinicius received his first call-up to the Brazilian national team, but he subsequently suffered a serious ankle injury.
Vinicius Junior’s Honours
Club:
- Brazil U15 Cup: 2015
- Carioca U17 Championship: 2016
- Taça Guanabara U17: 2016
- Taça Rio U17: 2016
Brazil National Team:
- South American U-15 Championship: 2015
- BRICS U-17 Football Cup: 2016
- South American U-17 Championship: 2017 (Individual)
- Best Player of the South American U-17 Championship: 2017
Top Scorer:
- BRICS U-17 Cup 2016 (4 goals)
- Nike U-17 Friendlies 2016 (3 goals)
- South American U-17 Championship 2017 (7 goals)
In this article, we share the biography, career, and honours of Vinicius Junior. Hopefully, the content will provide useful information for readers.
