Vinicius Junior: Life, Clubs, Career and Stats

Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, commonly known as Vinicius Junior is currently one of the best forwards in the footballing world and he plays as a winger for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. The talented winger is currently 23 and he also represents the Brazilian national team.

Born in Sao Goncalo, Vinicius Junior was always attracted to Flamengo School of Sao Goncalo and at a tender age finally joined the academy of one of the biggest clubs in Brazil. When he initially started playing for the club, an old document described him as a left-back which might be a surprise to many. However, the mistake was quickly identified as the winger showed exceptional skill in the final third of the game and grew as a forward. Today, he is considered one of the best wingers in the world. Let us take a look at his bio. 

Vinicius Junior Bio: 

• Full Name: Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior
• Date of Birth: 12 July, 2000
• Place of Birth: Sao Goncalo, Brazil
• Professional Debut: 2017
• Jersey Number: 7
• Position: Left Winger

Also Read: Gabriel Magalhaes: Early Life, Clubs, Family, Net Worth, Career and Stats

Vinicius Junior: The early years of a future star

Born in Sao Goncalo, a municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, young Vinicius was fond of football the minute he touched a ball. At the astonishingly young age of five, Vinicius joined the youth academy of Flamengo, a famous Brazilian club. Despite being born into a family facing financial constraints, a young Vinicius was backed by his parents and started his football journey in 2006. His father worked in Sao Paulo, while his mother took care of him and took him to training every day. Interestingly, Vinicius initially was part of the Flamengo School of Sao Goncalo in the futsal side before he decided that he wished to play football and not futsal in the future. 

The parents of the Brazilian star never neglected the youngster’s academic future, either. Vinicius Junior studied the first segment of elementary school in the municipal system of São Gonçalo, at the Paulo Reglus Freire School, but had the opportunity to move to a private school through a scholarship obtained for his high athletic performance. His ability was evident from a young age which helped him obtain the backing of several entrepreneurs and eventually a wonderful scholarship. Once a dreamy-eyed youngster, today has become a star inspiring millions of young kids around the world. 

Clubs: Vinicius’ journey from Flamengo to Real Madrid

First Love: Early Years at Flamengo (2005-2010)

From the age of 5, Vinicius was affiliated with Flamengo, a famous club. However, he initially started playing futsal and not football. Until 2010 Vinicius continued to attend futsal lessons at the Flamengo’s school in São Gonçalo at the Canto do Rio, a famous club located in the center of Niterói. However, when he first attended a trial at Flamengo as a young nine-year-old boy, he was dealt a massive heartbreak as he was rejected despite showing potential. The reason for his rejection was sighted as his tender age and was barely related to his ability.

While the rejection didn’t deter Vinicius Junior, he soon decided that he wished to play professional football in the future and not futsal. The realization helped Vinicius practice harder and in August of 2010, the Brazilian passed his tests at Flamingo and was officially a part of the youth system of the enormous club.

Growing inside the youth system: Flamengo (2010-2017)

Once, Vinicius Junior became a part of the youth setup of Flamengo, he slowly developed his game and adapted to the challenges faced by a winger. The Brazilian youth football system is considered one of the hardest to thrive in due to the intensity of defenders, but Vinicius managed to learn and grow. He played in several tournaments for the U-12, U-14, U-15 youth teams and kept improving as a player. His consistent performances even earned him call-ups to the  U-15 and U-17 Brazilian national teams where he scored many goals as well. His combined record for the U-15 and U-17 Brazilian teams is quite impressive as he has scored 24 goals in 29 outings for the two sides. 

His perseverance and hard work earned him a call-up to the first team of Flamengo on 13 May 2017 as he came on as a substitute in Flamengo’s 1–1 draw against Atletico Mineiro. Despite only a cameo in the game, the management recognized the potential of Vinicius and extended his contract with the club till 2022 with a massive increase in salary. Flamengo also increased his buyout clause from €30 million to €45 million. The contract renewal was apparently a part of the transfer process to Real Madrid as Vinicius Junior signed a contract with Real Madrid ten days after his professional debut on 23 May 2017.

The contract saw Real Madrid sign Vinicius for a whopping €46 million, but the winger would only be available to Real Madrid in the summer of July 2018 once he was 18 years old. After signing the contract, he continued to shine for Flamengo scoring his first professional goal on 12 August 2017 for the Brazilian club. 

Adapting in the heart of Spain: Real Madrid (2018-2021)

2018-2019

Vinicius finally arrived at the Bernabeu in July 2018 and began his journey at one of the biggest clubs in the world. He made his debut against city rivals Atletico Madrid. In his first season at Real Madrid, the youngster would go on to break several records as he became the first player born in the 21st century to represent Real Madrid. Talk about being a generational talent! Unfortunately for the youngster, he tore his ligament in February of 2019, bringing his first season at Los Blancos to a premature end. In his first season at the Bernabeu, he managed to score four goals. 

2019-2020

Vinicius returned to the first team after a long time on the sidelines and scored his first UEFA Champions League goal on 11 December 2019 against Club Brugge. The COVID hit season certainly made things tough for the youngster, but he managed to score his first El Clasico goal on March 1, 2020, making him the youngest foreigner to score in an El Clasico! The goal saw a rivalry start to brew as Barcelona fans took notice of the young star for the first time. The campaign saw Real Madrid win La Liga, resulting in Vinicius winning his first-ever trophy with Real Madrid. 

2020-21

The 2020–21 season saw Vinicius continue to grow at Real Madrid as he attempted to secure a starting position in the Real Madrid side. The season saw Vinicius even score against the mighty Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. His impact had certainly increased and he was on the cusp of securing starter status by the end of the season. 

A Star is Born: Real Madrid (2021-2024)

2021-22

The 2021-22 season saw Vinicius completely explode. The Brazilian managed to score an astonishing 22 goals for Real Madrid across competitions, making him the second-highest goalscorer for the team that season only behind Karim Benzema. Vinicius Junior even scored the winning goal against Liverpool in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over the Reds in the UEFA Champions League final that season, marking his name in the history books of Real Madrid. Since then, there has been no stopping Vini Jr. 

2022-23

Last season Vinicius even reached newer heights for Real Madrid as he had 44 G/A for Los Blancos across all competitions. His impressive performance in front of goal helped Real Madrid secure La Liga and saw Vinicius win his second La Liga with the Spanish giants. His season helped him earn an extremely high rank in the Ballon d’Or rankings as well. Real Madrid won the FIFA Club World Cup with him in attack the same season as well. 

2023-24

Vinicius has been bothered by several injuries this season, but the winger hasn’t bowed down and is continuing in great spirits. Real Madrid is currently leading the La Liga title race which could see Vinicius Junior win his third La Liga with Los Blancos. 

Career and Stats:

Vinicius Junior boasts an impressive record for his nation and his clubs. 

Club:

For Brazil:

Outside Football:

Vinicius Junior has made a name for himself outside football as well as he is one of the biggest advocates for anti-racism and has been truly the face of resilience for millions across the world. 

Vinicius Junior Personal Life:

Vinicius Junior’s Parents:

Vinicius Junior’s father, Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira, worked in construction, and his mother Fernanda looked after Vinicius and his three siblings. From a young age, his parents supported Vinicius’ dreams and put his happiness over money. Despite not being a very rich family, Vinicius Junior was provided with the best coaching his parents could afford. His father at a point in time worked multiple jobs to support his son’s dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Vinicius Junior often talks about the sacrifice of his parents and how he wishes to afford them a luxurious lifestyle now.

Vinicius Junior and his siblings:

Vinicius Junior has two sisters and a brother. His brother Netinho and he share a close bond as his brother is a professional footballer as well. Netinho plays for Botafago in the Campenato Brasileiro in Sire B. The brothers also share similarities as Vinicius and Netinho are both forwards. Vinicius Junior is only two years older than his brother and can often be seen having a good time with his brother before games for the Brazilian national team. Vinicius Junior even called his younger his best friend in the entire world and spoke about the time they spent together training.

Vinicius Junior Girlfriend:

Vini Jr is currently dating Maria Julia Mazalli. Maria is an Instagram influencer and the couple started dating in 2019. The Brazilian influencer first shot to fame when she participated in a Brazilian reality TV show called De Ferias Com o Ex. The couple have no kids together and they have kept their future plans as a couple under wraps.

Vinicius Junior Net Worth:

Since Vinicius made his debut for Real Madrid, he has gone on to bag several endorsements and become one of the biggest stars in Spain with a huge brand value. Currently, Vinicius is the brand ambassador of GaGa Milano a watch brand. He is also associated with several companies like Dolce & Gabbana, Pepsi, EA Sports, Vivo. The Brazilian star’s net worth currently stands at a whopping €3.2 million per year.

Also Read: Phil Foden: Early Life, Clubs, Family, Net Worth, Career and Stats