No, Vinicius Junior doesn’t have a body double – but Real Madrid & Brazil superstar is further away from Ballon d’Or than ever
Vinicius was the subject of transfer interest from Premier League champions Arsenal over the summer, and it briefly looked like a deal would be struck. For several months, Madrid toiled in vain to agree a contract extension with Vinicius, and there was a big risk they could lose him for nothing in June 2027 if they did not cash in.
However, the saga ended in disappointment for Arsenal, as Vinicius put pen to paper on a new six-year deal at the Bernabeu in early August. “Vinicius has become one of the most important players in one of the most successful periods in our history,” Real said in an official statement.
Mourinho later revealed the advice he gave Vinicius when the forward’s future was still up in the air, telling Diario AS: “The only thing I told him was: ‘Vini, where do you want to go? You’ve only been in Brazil and you only know Real Madrid. You only understand Real Madrid when you leave, when you leave, that’s when you realise what Real Madrid is: don’t leave. It’s not worth it’.”
The Portuguese tactician was speaking from experience; he has only won one league title since calling time on his first spell in Madrid in 2013. There is no bigger club in the world, but at this moment, it’s difficult to see Vinicius adding to his haul of two Champions League crowns as a Blancos player, and winning a fourth Liga title in the near future won’t be easy either because Barcelona look so dominant.
There is an argument that the move to Arsenal would have been best for all parties involved. Madrid could have benefitted structurally, and Vinicius could have emerged as a Ballon d’Or contender again as the main man at the No.1 club in Europe’s most competitive division. Succeeding in the Premier League can bring a whole new level of prestige.
A new challenge at the Emirates might have liberated Vinicius. He’s playing with too much caution at Real now, and the statistics back that up; he’s only attempted 4.6 take-ons this season, down from 5.6 in 2025-26, and his expected goals (xG) total stands at 0.59, a massive decrease from 1.05.
Mourinho’s pragmatic tactics don’t suit Vinicius either. As one of the most talented players of his generation, he will find some sort of rhythm again and win back the fans soon enough, but repeating the success of his earlier years in Madrid may be an impossible ask.
