Real Madrid star Vinícius Junior is going through a seriously rough phase. Vini just got booed by his own fans during the match against Levante. People are calling him the main reason behind Xabi’s exit and the team’s wildly inconsistent form this season. What’s actually going on with him?
Vini lost his spotlight
In our view, the root of Vinícius Junior’s dip in form comes from losing his spotlight as the main star. The arrival of Mbappé last season definitely made Real Madrid’s attack scarier. However, those situation also pushed Vini into playing second fiddle, or even third, behind Jude Bellingham.
As a result, his playstyle has taken a hit. Back then, he was the guy, crosses from midfield were aimed at him. Now, that role mostly belongs to Mbappé. Even though Vini has publicly said he welcomes Mbappé’s arrival, deep down, he still needs that main-character energy.
”And that makes sense, this is the same player who delivered Real Madrid their UCL titles in 2022 and 2024. Stat-wise, it’s been pretty rough halfway for him through the season. Vini has only put up 5 goals and 5 assists from 20 La Liga games.”
Sure, Real Madrid has always been stacked with star players. But this time, it hits a little bit different. Back in the day when Madrid flourish with Ronaldo, Benzema, and Bale, everyone knew their role and owned it.
Ronaldo was the ultimate target man. Benzema played the connector, supplier, sometimes a false 9. Gareth Bale also checked his ego, put in the work, and racked up assists and playmaking when needed.
Right now, their frontline still hasn’t found that click. Mbappé is a pure goal-getter, but the thing is, Vini and Rodrygo are basically wired the same way. They all want to score. Well, Mbappé is the only one who really looks convincing this season.
Attitude problem?
On top of his shaky form, Vini’s attitude has also come under heavy fire. The moment that really blew up was during El Clásico against Barcelona. When he got subbed off, Vini clearly lost his cool after Xabi Alonso made the call.
And this isn’t new. Vini’s long been known for getting into scraps on the pitch. He’s also often become a target of abuse because of how he plays. His flashy, in-your-face, borderline provocative style is exactly why the ‘attitude problem’ narrative is sticking to him right now.
The breaking point came when Vini was blamed for Xabi’s early exit. He’s been accused of constantly ignoring Xabi’s tactical instructions on multiple occasions. One clip even caught Vini openly complaining about Xabi’s coaching style, calling it too technical and way too demanding.
”Fans have started labeling Vini as having ‘star syndrome’ and talking way too much. During the match against Levante, he looked visibly emotional as his own Real Madrid supporters booed his name. Some sources even suggest this could be a bitter ending to what was once a golden era for Vini at Los Blancos.”
