Vinicius Junior aspires to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s influential career at Real Madrid. Despite Ronaldo’s records, Vinicius aims for more titles and a lasting impact beyond football, focusing on Brazilian education through his foundation.
Vinicius Junior has publicly stated his ambition to create a legacy at Real Madrid that mirrors the impact of Cristiano Ronaldo, a club legend. Ronaldo's illustrious nine-year tenure at the Bernabeu concluded the same year Vinicius arrived from Flamengo in a €46 million transfer.
During his time with Los Blancos, Ronaldo made 438 appearances and set a club record with 450 goals, in addition to providing 131 assists. His trophy haul included two La Liga titles and four Champions League titles, a competition in which Ronaldo also excelled individually. He holds the Champions League's all-time top scorer title with 140 goals in 183 appearances, 105 of which were scored for Madrid.
Although Vinicius may not surpass Ronaldo's individual achievements, he has already exceeded his La Liga title count. He also played a crucial role in Real Madrid's Champions League victories in 2022-23 against Liverpool and 2023-24 against Borussia Dortmund. Vinicius, at 23 years and 325 days old, became the youngest player to score in two Champions League finals, surpassing Lionel Messi's previous record by thirteen days.
In an interview with GQ, Vinicius acknowledged Cristiano Ronaldo as an inspiration, praising his work ethic and dedication to being the best. He also mentioned LeBron James for his community involvement and Brazilian legends like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Neymar for their joy and talent, which have made a mark on the world.
Real Madrid experienced a challenging 2024-25 season, finishing second in La Liga behind Barcelona and being eliminated by Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals. Despite this, Vinicius had another productive season, contributing 36 goals (21 goals, 15 assists) across all competitions.
In January, Vinicius scored his 100th goal for Madrid, joining the ranks of 23 players in the club's history to achieve this milestone. Having tasted success, Vinicius expressed his determination to add more trophies to his growing collection, stating that his dreams are far from over. He aims to win more trophies with his club, succeed in major international competitions, and inspire the next generation. Vinicius also hopes to leave a legacy beyond football, focusing on improving Brazil's education system through his foundation.