Vinicius Jr: Real Madrid and Brazil Player Profile

Vinicius Jr is a Brazil international and Real Madrid forward who plays from the left side of attack. Born in São Gonçalo on 12 July 2000, he developed at Flamengo, moved to Madrid in 2018 and became a decisive scorer in two UEFA Champions League final victories. He entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Brazil’s number 7 and scored four goals during the tournament.

This profile uses dated records from Real Madrid, UEFA, FIFA and the Brazilian Football Confederation. It separates career checkpoints from live totals, explains his tactical role and removes unverified financial claims that do not help readers understand his football.

Vinicius Jr profile

• Full name: Vinicius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior
• Date of birth: 12 July 2000
• Place of birth: São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Height: 1.76 metres
• Preferred foot: Right
• Primary position: Left winger
• Other roles: Left forward and second striker
• Current club: Real Madrid
• Club number: 7
• International team: Brazil

Real Madrid’s official profile lists him as a 1.76-metre forward and records his path from the Flamengo academy to the senior Flamengo team and then Madrid. The club’s 2023 renewal announcement ties him to Real Madrid through 30 June 2027.

Who is Vinicius Jr?

Vinicius is a right-footed attacker whose first movement tends to begin near the left touchline. That starting point gives him room to face a defender, accelerate outside or cut toward the penalty area. His pace attracts attention, but his improvement as a finisher and final passer turned him from a dangerous prospect into a player who decides major matches.

His Real Madrid record includes goals in the 2022 and 2024 Champions League finals. FIFA named him The Best Men’s Player for 2024 after a season in which he scored 24 goals in 39 club appearances. By July 2026, Madrid credited him with 375 matches, 128 goals and 14 trophies.

Early life in São Gonçalo

Flamengo academy years

Vinicius grew up in São Gonçalo, across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro. Real Madrid’s career record places him in Flamengo’s academy from 2010 to 2017. The academy gave him a competitive route from youth football into the professional game while his close control, change of direction and confidence in one-against-one situations took shape.

Young attackers in Brazil often receive attention for tricks and goals. Vinicius also had to learn spacing, pressing responsibilities and the timing of his runs. Those details became more important when he moved from youth matches into senior football, where defenders could match his strength and read repeated moves.

Senior debut at 16

UEFA records that Vinicius made his Flamengo senior debut in 2017 at age 16. He played for the first team across the 2017 and 2018 seasons before leaving for Spain. That short senior period exposed him to league and continental football while he was still a teenager.

Real Madrid agreed his move before he could join under international transfer rules. He arrived in July 2018, shortly after his 18th birthday. The gap between agreement and arrival gave Flamengo time to use him as a first-team attacker and gave Madrid a clearer view of his progress against adults.

Move from Flamengo to Real Madrid

Arrival in Spain

Vinicius joined Real Madrid in July 2018. The club first used him with Castilla, and he made his senior Madrid debut against Atlético Madrid on 29 September 2018. He had to adjust to a new country, a faster defensive game and the pressure attached to every Real Madrid result.

His first seasons showed a contrast between chance creation and finishing. He could separate from defenders and reach the box, yet the last action did not match the quality of the run on every occasion. Madrid kept giving him minutes because the underlying threat remained clear.

Learning the left-wing role

His role settled on the left. He stretched the back line, attacked the space behind a full-back and carried the ball through transitions. Karim Benzema’s movement helped during this stage because the striker could drop away from the penalty area, combine with Vinicius and leave a lane for his diagonal run.

Repetition improved the connection between his first touch and final action. He began to take fewer touches before shooting, selected cutbacks with more care and varied his runs so defenders could not wait for one move.

The 2021/22 breakthrough

From threat to consistent output

The 2021/22 season established Vinicius as a high-output forward. Real Madrid’s later milestone report credits him with 22 goals that season, the first of five consecutive campaigns above 20 goals. His partnership with Benzema gave Madrid a direct route through pressure and a reliable source of chances from the left.

He also became more composed near goal. Earlier chances often ended with rushed contact. During the breakthrough season, he waited for the goalkeeper’s movement, used the inside of his right foot and chose a pass when a teammate held a better angle.

Winner in the 2022 Champions League final

Real Madrid faced Liverpool in Paris in the 2022 Champions League final. Vinicius arrived at the far post and converted Federico Valverde’s delivery for the match’s only goal. The finish gave Madrid its 14th European Cup and placed a 21-year-old winger at the centre of the club’s modern history.

UEFA named him the Champions League Young Player of the Season for 2021/22. The award reflected more than the final goal. His runs and direct attacks had provided an outlet across a campaign filled with difficult knockout ties.

Growth through the 2022/23 season

Vinicius followed the breakthrough with 23 goals in 2022/23. Defenders gave him less space and teams sent extra cover toward the left, so he had to solve crowded situations with combinations and quicker passes. He still carried a large share of Madrid’s progression from midfield into attack.

The season added another layer to his game. He could receive with a defender close behind, protect the ball and bring a midfielder into the move. That skill reduced his dependence on open-field sprints and helped Madrid attack opponents who defended near their own penalty area.

The 2023/24 Champions League campaign

Twenty-four goals in 39 matches

FIFA’s award record lists 24 goals in 39 appearances for Vinicius during 2023/24. Injuries limited his match count, but his output remained high. He scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final and helped Madrid win La Liga.

The numbers also show his scoring development. A winger once judged through missed chances had become a forward trusted to finish central moves, take decisive shots and deliver in knockout games.

Goal in the 2024 final against Dortmund

Vinicius scored Madrid’s second goal in the 2024 Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. He became the first Brazilian to score in two different European Cup or Champions League finals. Madrid won its 15th European title, and UEFA named him the competition’s Player of the Season.

His two final goals came from different situations. The Liverpool goal required a far-post run and a first-time finish. The Dortmund goal came after Madrid won possession high and gave him space to attack the box. Both depended on movement before the ball reached him.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player award

FIFA named Vinicius The Best Men’s Player for 2024. He finished with 48 voting points, ahead of Rodri on 43 and Jude Bellingham on 37. Coaches, captains, journalists and supporters each contributed one quarter of the vote.

The award made him the first Brazilian since Kaká in 2007 to receive FIFA’s top men’s player honour. FIFA cited Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga wins, his Wembley goal and his Spanish Super Cup final hat-trick. The award covers a defined performance window, so it should be read as recognition for that period rather than a permanent ranking.

Real Madrid record through July 2026

375 appearances and 128 goals

Real Madrid published a career checkpoint on Vinicius’s 26th birthday, 12 July 2026. The club recorded 375 appearances and 128 goals since his first-team debut. The same report noted that he had completed eight seasons in Madrid.

This checkpoint comes from his club and includes all official first-team competitions. It should not be combined with Flamengo matches or Brazil appearances. Future updates need a new dated club source because both totals will change once the next season begins.

Fourteen team trophies

Madrid’s July 2026 list gives Vinicius 14 club trophies:

• Two UEFA Champions League titles
• Three FIFA Club World Cups
• Two UEFA Super Cups
• Three La Liga titles
• One Copa del Rey
• Three Spanish Super Cups

The list shows how often his development has taken place inside title races and knockout campaigns. His role also changed across that period, from a young rotation player to the scorer of goals in European finals.

Vinicius Jr in the 2025/26 season

Club totals

Real Madrid’s official player page records 53 appearances, 22 goals, nine assists and 4,248 minutes for 2025/26. He reached 20 goals for the fifth straight season, a sequence that began in 2021/22.

La Liga accounted for 36 appearances and 16 goals. Madrid’s profile lists 32 league starts, four substitute appearances and four assists. Fourteen of his league goals came with his right foot and two with his left.

Reading the output

The 22-goal total confirms scoring consistency across another long campaign. The nine assists also matter because opponents often move a second defender toward his side. A quick pass after drawing that cover can create a better chance than forcing a shot through two players.

His 114 fouls received across all club competitions show how often opponents stopped his carries with contact. The figure needs context: winning a foul can relieve pressure or create a set piece, while staying on his feet can preserve an attack when the advantage remains open.

Champions League record

Thirty-four goals in 82 matches

UEFA’s record, updated on 16 July 2026, gives Vinicius 34 goals in 82 Champions League matches. Neymar, with 43, was the sole Brazilian above him at that checkpoint. Vinicius had scored in seven consecutive Champions League seasons after failing to score during his debut campaign.

Twenty-five of the 34 goals came from his right foot, eight from his left and one from a header. UEFA also records five goals against Liverpool and four against Manchester City, two opponents he has faced in repeated high-level knockout matches.

Two final goals and a Dortmund hat-trick

The final goals against Liverpool and Dortmund form the centre of his European record. His sole Champions League hat-trick also came against Dortmund, in a 5-2 league-phase win in October 2024 after Madrid trailed 2-0 at half-time.

UEFA’s timing breakdown places 24 of his 34 goals in the second half. That distribution fits a winger whose repeated runs can test tired defenders, but it also reflects Madrid’s history of changing matches after the interval.

Brazil international career

Senior debut and first World Cup

Vinicius made his senior Brazil debut in September 2019. He joined the squads for Copa América 2021 and 2024 and represented Brazil at the 2022 World Cup. He scored against South Korea in the 2022 round of 16 before Brazil lost to Croatia in the quarter-final.

His club form did not transfer to the national team at once. Brazil used different forward structures and changed coaches during the cycle. The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti in 2025 restored a coach who knew his movement and responsibilities from Real Madrid.

Fiftieth cap and tenth goal

Vinicius reached 50 senior Brazil appearances in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. He scored his tenth international goal in a 1-1 draw with Morocco and received the Player of the Match award from Ronaldo.

The milestone gives a reliable international checkpoint at the start of the tournament. Brazil played four more matches after that date, so the 50-cap figure should not be presented as his post-tournament total.

Vinicius Jr at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goal against Morocco

Brazil opened Group C with a 1-1 draw against Morocco. Vinicius scored in the 32nd minute after Morocco took the lead and received the Player of the Match award. The goal began a run in which he scored in each group fixture.

Goal and assist against Haiti

Brazil beat Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia. Vinicius scored once, assisted Matheus Cunha and produced the shot that led to another Cunha goal after the goalkeeper’s save. FIFA reported that he had taken part in all four Brazil goals across the first two matches.

He received another Player of the Match award. The performance combined the parts of his game that Brazil needed: carrying from the left, entering the box and releasing a teammate after drawing defenders.

Two goals against Scotland

Vinicius scored twice in a 3-0 win over Scotland. He opened the scoring in the seventh minute and headed the second during first-half stoppage time. FIFA named him Player of the Match for the third group game.

He became the fifth Brazil player to score in all three matches of a World Cup group stage, following Jairzinho, Romário, Ronaldo and Rivaldo. Brazil finished first in Group C with seven points.

Round-of-32 win over Japan

Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in the round of 32. Casemiro scored the equaliser, and Gabriel Martinelli produced the stoppage-time winner. Vinicius started as Brazil moved into the last 16.

Round-of-16 exit against Norway

Norway beat Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16. Vinicius had a close-range effort saved and later played Endrick through for a chance before Erling Haaland scored twice. Neymar converted a late penalty, but Brazil’s tournament ended.

Vinicius finished the World Cup with four goals and one direct assist. His four goals all came in the group stage. The knockout exit forms part of the record and prevents the group performance from being framed as a team title run.

Playing position and tactical role

Starting from the left

Vinicius starts wide enough to stretch the opposing right-back. He can receive to feet and attack from a standing start, or move behind the defender when a midfielder has time to pass. His right foot invites a diagonal route toward goal, while his speed still makes the outside lane dangerous.

A narrow starting position gives him quicker access to the box but removes some space for acceleration. Madrid and Brazil vary his location based on the opponent, the full-back’s movement and the position of the central striker.

Rotations with central forwards

A striker who moves toward the left can combine with Vinicius and pull a centre-back from the middle. Vinicius can then attack the channel or play a return pass. He developed that relationship with Benzema and has adapted the pattern around other forwards, including Kylian Mbappé.

The rotation needs spacing. Two attackers occupying the same lane make the defence’s task easier. Vinicius has improved at holding his width until the pass begins, then moving inside when the defender turns toward the ball.

Technical strengths

Acceleration and repeated sprints

His first steps create separation. He can slow near a defender, shift the ball and regain speed before the defender resets. The ability to repeat those actions forces a full-back to defend with cover, which opens a lane for a teammate.

One-against-one control

Vinicius changes direction with the ball close to his feet. He uses stepovers, shoulder movement and pauses to make the defender commit. The move succeeds when it creates a route toward goal or draws a second defender; the skill serves the attack rather than existing as decoration.

Finishing from the left channel

His preferred finish comes after he enters from the left and opens his body for a right-footed shot. He can aim across goal or delay the contact until the goalkeeper shifts. His improvement also includes near-post shots and left-footed finishes, which reduce the goalkeeper’s ability to anticipate one placement.

Cutbacks and final passes

Vinicius can reach the byline and return the ball into the path of a late runner. He also slips passes through the gap between full-back and centre-back. Nine assists in 2025/26 show that his contribution extends beyond his 22 goals.

Work without the ball

Vinicius often leads pressure from the left. His first job depends on the team’s plan: close the centre-back, block the pass to the full-back or press the receiver. A fast press without support leaves an easy pass behind him, so the midfield must move at the same moment.

He also gives his team an outlet after a defensive phase. Staying high can pin an opposing defender and create a transition, while dropping deeper can help protect a lead. Coaches choose between those jobs based on match state.

Areas that shape his next phase

Choices against compact defences

Opponents who deny transition space force Vinicius to attack from a slower possession. He must choose between a dribble, a short combination and a switch of play. Moving the ball before a second defender arrives can create a new one-against-one later in the attack.

Maintaining control through contact

Madrid recorded 114 fouls received in 2025/26. Contact follows his style because defenders often challenge after he pushes the ball into space. Balance and the next touch determine whether he can continue the run, win a useful foul or lose the attack.

Leadership for Brazil

The 2026 World Cup placed more attacking responsibility on Vinicius. He responded with four group-stage goals and three Player of the Match awards, then Brazil exited in the round of 16. His next international phase will require the same output in knockout matches and a role in helping younger forwards understand Brazil’s attacking patterns.

How he fits with Brazil’s attack

Brazil can place Vinicius on the left and Raphinha on the opposite side to stretch both full-backs. A central forward then occupies the centre-backs while midfield runners approach the box. Vinicius’s direct threat can move defensive cover toward his side and free the far winger.

Neymar’s return during the 2026 World Cup gave Brazil another player who could receive between the lines. Their spacing mattered because both can move into the left half-space. One player could remain wide while the other linked through the centre.

Career timeline

• 2010: Began his documented Flamengo academy period.
• 2017: Made his senior Flamengo debut at age 16.
• July 2018: Joined Real Madrid after turning 18.
• 29 September 2018: Made his Real Madrid first-team debut against Atlético Madrid.
• 2021/22: Scored 22 club goals and the winner in the Champions League final.
• 2023/24: Won La Liga and the Champions League, scoring in the Wembley final.
• December 2024: Won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award.
• 2025/26: Recorded 53 matches, 22 goals and nine assists for Madrid.
• June and July 2026: Scored four goals for Brazil at the FIFA World Cup.
• 12 July 2026: Reached Madrid’s published checkpoint of 375 appearances and 128 goals.

Verified statistical checkpoints

• Real Madrid career, 12 July 2026: 375 appearances, 128 goals, 14 trophies.
• Real Madrid 2025/26: 53 appearances, 22 goals, nine assists, 4,248 minutes.
• Champions League, 16 July 2026: 82 appearances, 34 goals.
• Brazil milestone, 13 June 2026: 50 caps and ten goals after the Morocco match.
• FIFA World Cup 2026: Five appearances, four goals and one direct assist.

Each line uses a stated date and competition scope. Club, UEFA and international databases can classify matches in different ways, so these checkpoints should remain separate. Future editors should replace a checkpoint with a newer official one instead of adding an unofficial live estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Which club does Vinicius Jr play for?

He plays for Real Madrid and wears number 7. The club’s official 2023 announcement says his contract runs through 30 June 2027.

What position does Vinicius Jr play?

He plays as a left winger or left forward. He can also move into a central second-striker role during attacking rotations.

How many goals has he scored for Real Madrid?

Real Madrid recorded 128 goals in 375 appearances on 12 July 2026. That is a dated first-team club checkpoint, not a live total for future seasons.

How many Champions League goals does he have?

UEFA recorded 34 goals in 82 Champions League appearances on 16 July 2026. He scored in the 2022 and 2024 finals.

Did Vinicius Jr win The Best FIFA award?

Yes. FIFA named him The Best Men’s Player for 2024 after he helped Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League during 2023/24.

How did he perform at the 2026 World Cup?

He scored four goals and supplied one direct assist across five Brazil matches. He earned three group-stage Player of the Match awards before Norway eliminated Brazil in the round of 16.

Editorial sources and update policy

FWC Times checked this page against Real Madrid’s official player profile, the club’s 375-match career update, UEFA’s Champions League record, FIFA’s The Best award report and official FIFA/CBF match reports from the 2026 World Cup.

Editors should update club totals after Real Madrid publishes a new season or milestone record. Brazil totals need a dated CBF or FIFA checkpoint. The page excludes rumour-based contract, wealth and valuation sections because official football evidence provides the useful record.