The Club World Cup keeps moving forward and in Madrid expectations never stop. The arrival of the decisive stage coincides with one of the most delicate moments for some of the footballers expected to lead the white project. All eyes are once again on Vinícius, for whom Xabi Alonso's arrival doesn't seem, at least for now, to have marked a turning point after such a lackluster season.
The debate about Vinícius Júnior's performance returns to the spotlight right before one of the most demanding fixtures: the semifinals against PSG. The Brazilian, who last season excited Madridists and came close to winning the Ballon d'Or, is experiencing a 2024/25 season far from his best days. The fans, used to his ability to unbalance and decide matches, are starting to grow impatient with a much more discreet version of the winger.
The contrast with the Vinícius who amazed last season is clear. In 2024, after losing the Ballon d'Or vote at the last moment, he left a defiant message on social media: "I'll do it 10 times better if necessary, you're not ready." However, that promised step forward still hasn't arrived. In the current campaign, Vinícius has been less decisive, even being overshadowed by both major rival stars and unexpected teammates.
Gonzalo and the shadow of the youth player at the Club World Cup
The Club World Cup stage has served to further intensify the debate. Although Vinícius has started in all five matches played by Real Madrid in the competition, he has only excelled in the match against Salzburg, where he scored his only goal in the tournament. The big surprise has been the emergence of young Gonzalo, who at just 21 years old and with little first-team experience, has scored four goals and provided one assist, becoming the true white protagonist in the competition.
This situation has caused critical voices both inside and outside the club. Madrid's demands are at their highest and, as Tomás Roncero reminded on El Chiringuito, "you have a 21-year-old kid who's taking your spot. Wake up and beat PSG." The journalist went further and even suggested that Vinícius should start from the bench: "Let him see he's not untouchable."
The pressure before the clash against PSG and the battle for a starting spot
The upcoming match against PSG comes loaded with pressure and many doubts about the role Vinícius will play. The coach, aware of the lack of decisiveness in the final third, is studying alternatives. It's not just the presence of the youth player that weighs on the Brazilian: the shadow of Kylian Mbappé, with a stellar season, makes the winger's drop in form even more evident.
The locker room transmits calm, but outside the impatience is noticeable. The fans want to see the decisive and electric Vinícius who has changed matches so many times. Roncero himself insisted: "Vinícius can play every day like he did against Salzburg... but in the last matches he hasn't done it."
Real Madrid faces the clash against PSG with a question in the air: will this be the match that brings back the best version of Vinícius? The context is ideal for him to prove himself, but also for the spotlight to focus on the coach's decisions and the player's own reaction. If the gamble pays off, Vinícius will be able to silence the critics and regain his lost prominence. If not, the debate about his future in the starting eleven will intensify.
The night in Paris could be decisive for the Brazilian and for a Madrid that doesn't settle for half measures. Because, as Roncero reminded, "when Vinícius wants, he wins the match by himself." Now all that's left is for him to show it again when his team needs him most. Meanwhile, the El Chiringuito contributor isn't particularly optimistic about the Brazilian. This is what he said:
"I always defend Vinícius because he's world-class, but in this Club World Cup he isn't playing at a world-class level. Only the day against Salzburg did he do it. Vinícius can play every day like he did against Salzburg. What needs to be said is 'Wake up, Vini, because when you want to, you unbalance, you win the match by yourself, you go past your man 20 times, and in the last matches you haven't done it. You have a 21-year-old kid who's taking your spot. Wake up and beat PSG.' I'd leave him on the bench, let him see he's not untouchable."