Zinedine Zidane Voices Support for Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid
French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has expressed strong confidence in the future of Vinicius Junior with Real Madrid. The talented winger made his way to Madrid in July 2018, joining from Brazilian team Flamengo at just 18 years old. Since then, he has evolved into a crucial player for Los Blancos and earned recognition as one of the leading talents in global football. To date, Vinicius has scored an impressive 91 goals across 279 matches in all competitions.
Early Praise and Future Potential
During his tenure as manager of Real Madrid in 2019, Zidane sang praises for the young Brazilian, labeling him as a key part of the club’s future endeavors. According to reports by The Telegrafi, Zidane stated: “He carries my trust as his coach. Vinicius is emblematic of what lies ahead for Madrid; patience will be essential. There might be times when he isn’t on the pitch, but my belief in him never wavers.”
As we approach the highly-anticipated Ballon d’Or ceremony slated for Monday at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet, Vinicius emerges as a top contender to win this prestigious award.
Recognition and Gratitude
In recent conversations with CNN before the awards event—reported by Planet Football—Vinicius took time to acknowledge Marta Vieira da Silva’s monumental influence on women’s football. He remarked: “I must mention Marta; she is unparalleled in women’s soccer history. Her contributions significantly elevated our sport’s status globally.”
Vinicius expressed deep admiration for Marta’s pioneering role: “She mirrors what Pele represents to all Brazilians—akin to Ayrton Senna; such excellence is rare.”
Influences From Past Legends
Turning toward men’s football legends who shaped his aspirations, Vinicius cited Kaka and Ronaldo among those who have inspired him throughout his journey. Reflecting on their guidance, he said: “Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are especially close mentors who remind me daily about striving toward winning the Ballon d’Or.” Recently training together at Ronaldo’s residence in Ibiza, he shared that Ronaldo encouraged him with advice designed to enhance his performance: “Spend some more days practicing here so you’ll be even closer to earning that accolade.”
The remarkable feats achieved by such renowned figures make competing for—and potentially winning—the Ballon d’Or an extraordinary dream and ambition that fuels Vinicius’ devotion to success.
Conclusion
With immense talent shining through his performances on-field combined with unwavering support from legends like Zidane and others from Brazil’s storied history—all eyes will undoubtedly be on Vinicius Junior during this prestigious season as fans anticipate further achievements from this standout athlete at Real Madrid.