At the start of the season, there was no shortage of people in Valdebebas who noticed Vinicius being somewhat confused. In the background, his goal of achieving the Ballon d’Or and the overwhelming offer from Saudi Arabia. His deployment, however, did not seem out of place in a team that had started by letting itself go. Even today, the Brazilian’s engines are not at full power, but his time in Qatar confirmed that his productivity in the finals is notable.
He has played 12 times for Madrid since 2018 and has participated in 14 goals: eight goals and six assists. A bicycle and a pass to Kylian Mbappé uncorked the Intercontinental Cup, and a penalty goal finished off Pachuca this Wednesday in Doha. In the last six games for a title, he has always had something in his mouth: an assist in the European Super Cup in August against Atalanta, the finishing touch against Dortmund in the last Orejonathe hat trick against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup a year ago in Riyadh, an assist to Rodrygo in the 2023 cup title against Osasuna, and a double and assist against Al Hilal in the Club World Cup two years ago in Morocco. Although nothing more decisive than scoring in his two Champions League finals.
Of the dozen final matches for a title in which he has participated, in only three did he leave as he arrived: in the 2020 Spanish Super Cup (he barely had 17 minutes), in 2022 against Athletic and in 2023 with Barça.
“Until the first goal, it had not appeared, but it had a decisive impact,” lamented Pachuca coach Guillermo Almada, referring to the 1-0 action. His influence in the finals continues to be a symbol of the great journey he has taken in the last four seasons: from darkness in front of the rival goal to clairvoyance. In fact, the first time that statistics recorded him scoring a goal for Madrid in a final is a good example of what he celebrated then and celebrates now. In the 2018 Club World Cup against Al Ain, with everything done, Santiago Solari took him out for six minutes, won the baseline and his pass to Bale was put in by a defender. FIFA awarded him an assist for the lucky rebound.
In Qatar, the complete package
His impact on Madrid continues to grow and his catalog diversifies. To the self-confessed comfort in moving in the center of the attack, incorporated last season, he has added the ability to assist with a long-distance delivery, as he did a week ago in Bergamo. Since his debut with the whites, no player in the League has given more assists in all competitions than him (67).
Sanctioned for this Sunday against Sevilla due to the accumulation of cards after his angry protest in Vallecas, Vinicius will train this Friday and from Saturday he has vacation until the 30th. In his last function he offered a package complete. Beyond his influence on the Intercontinental (MVP), he left another note of vindication when he was awarded The Best. “No one is going to tell me who I should fight for and how I should behave. They have tried to invalidate me, but they are not ready. The time has come to say: I am the best player in the world and I have fought hard for it. When I was in São Gonçalo [Río de Janeiro]the system didn’t care about me. “They almost swallowed me,” said the Brazilian, who often offers the image of facing a personal mission that surpasses football, between the empowerment of succeeding having grown up in a marginal place and his battle against racism. The backdrop, and sometimes foreground, of a player who has gone from puppet to clinical in the finals.
