Vinicius Jr.’s (22) last class was a show. In the first three seasons as a target (he arrived in the summer of 2018) you could see a fast player, very unbalanced in one-on-one situations, but who had difficulty making decisions when approaching the goal. This changed in the last course, being a key player in achieving the three titles won by Madrid (Champions, League and European Super Cup). Along with Benzema, he was Ancelotti’s main offensive weapon. However, the 2021-2022 season will be a little different. Benzema will turn 35 in December and play in the World Cup in Qatar, so he will need more breathing space throughout the season. And this is where Vinicius will have to assume stripes within the team.
It’s true that the Brazilian’s growth over the past year has been tremendous. 22 goals and 16 assists were his figures in all competitions, accounting for 27.5% of Madrid’s goals and 16.9% of assists. Absolute crack numbers. If you look back, two seasons ago (2020-2021) he only scored six goals. Its improvement also resulted in a fairly significant increase in minutes from campaign to campaign. While he only played 40% of the minutes (1917) during the 2020-2021 season, in 2021-2022 he played almost everything played (82% of minutes). Quite a remarkable increase.
It seems difficult that the third most valuable player in the world (100 million) can improve his level. But he showed that he has no ceiling. Moreover, in Madrid they will need their best version. After the non-arrival of Mbappé and the load of games that a veteran player like Benzema will have (main candidate to win the Ballon d’Or this year), Vinicius starts as a fundamental weapon for the merengue attack (if not the most).
As if that weren’t enough, the trust Ancelotti has placed in him since his arrival has also been a growth factor for the player, who sees himself as a star more than ever.. Because Vinicius (who is about to renew), has shown with his performances against teams like Barcelona in the league or Manchester City in the Champions League that he is capable of winning games. The highlight of his big year was with his goal in the Champions League final against Liverpool, which saw Madrid lift fourteenth. But he wants more. This new season will have more pressure than the previous ones, something that comes from the fact of its level. On Wednesday August 10, in the European Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt, the confirmation season for Vinicius, one of the hottest players in world football, will begin.