With Brazil preparing for their World Cup Round of 16 clash, Real Madrid attacker Vinícius Júnior was visibly moved as he opened up about a deeply personal family moment, breaking down in tears while speaking on the influence of his grandmother.
The forward, who has been central to Brazil’s push at the 2026 World Cup, said his emotions spilled over after viewing a touching video featuring a message from her.
“She’s a very special person because my father was often away, so my mother, my siblings, and I spent a lot of time with my grandmother,” the Real Madrid star said after watching the clip. “The place was small, so I slept beside her for many days. I don’t have the words to explain it—she guided my life. I understand that there’s a point when people can’t stay, so I hold onto every moment I have with her. They did everything they could to help my dream come true. Seeing her happy is priceless.”
Turning his focus back to football, Vinícius acknowledged that Brazil are enduring a long wait for a sixth World Cup crown, a delay that adds even more weight to expectations in a nation that approaches the tournament with near-universal passion.
“This group is putting in the work to bring Brazil back to the top,” he said. “That sixth star takes time to arrive. Over the last few years, we’ve learned a lot. Many of the players were involved in the previous Copa América.
Coach Ancelotti has given us room to play with freedom, calm, and confidence that we can return to the summit. Having Neymar, Casemiro, Alex Sandro, Danilo, and Marquinhos—players with so much experience—lets the younger lads express themselves. I’m only 25, but we’ve got a really strong group coming through with Endrick and Rayan…”
Vinícius also addressed the racism he continues to challenge. “What I do away from the pitch matters even more than what I do on it, because it helps many more people,” he said. “Of course progress is slow, but I hope it keeps moving so the next generation doesn’t have to suffer. I have a seven-year-old brother, and I hope he never has to deal with racism. I want to achieve big things on the field, but I also want to keep motivating young Black kids who don’t have the platform that I have.”
Finally, he reflected on his form heading into the knockout stage. “I said before the competition that I was at my best technically, physically, and mentally,” Vinícius said. “I pushed really hard through the season to arrive at 100 percent. I didn’t have any injuries, and I didn’t miss a single Real Madrid match, so I came here fully ready. The more you work, the luckier you get.”
In truth, Vinícius has been operating at the peak of his technical and mental game.
He has also remained the key figure in Brazil’s setup.
Brazil managed to get through a tough test against underdogs Japan in the World Cup Round of 32, with Vinícius keeping the tournament alive through another strong performance.
Even though he did not add to the scoreline, he produced another well-rounded display. Isolated at times by the way Brazil’s opponents handled him on the flank, he still stood out, and like Kylian Mbappé in France’s run, Vinícius has clearly benefited from being the leading figure—and carrying the responsibility of Brazil’s biggest hope.
Despite the fact that Vinícius and Real Madrid are coming off a challenging season, one point that has often been overlooked is the scale of his output in 2026. The Brazilian international has scored more goals than any other player worldwide in 2026, aside from England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. Kane’s combined club and country total for the 2025/26 season sits as the second-highest single-season figure of all time, behind Lionel Messi.
The 25-year-old has now recorded four goals and an assist across four World Cup matches. He has also been named Man of the Match in each of Brazil’s three group-stage outings.
Even Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal—who shares a close friendship with Vinícius and helps bridge the usual rivalry tension—has struggled not to praise how remarkable the tournament has been for Vinícius Júnior.
Yamal told Spanish outlet COPE, via the Madrid Zone: “Who has impressed me the most in World Cup among the stars and non-stars? Vini, I am really liking a lot. Messi obviously. Among the non-stars? Ismael Saibari is been doing very well, even apart from just scoring goals.”
Yamal’s rise has been influenced by Lionel Messi, so it’s no surprise that the greatest ever Barcelona player receives a major mention. Yet Vinícius Júnior has also been among the best performers at this World Cup, reaching a level that even surpasses Yamal himself. That is part of what makes it telling that Yamal highlighted Vinícius immediately, despite the fact Vinícius is often at the centre of the intense Clasico rivalry.
The impact is visible in the numbers. Beyond Brazil’s five goal contributions, Vinícius is averaging close to two key passes per match, along with nearly five combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn each time he plays. He operates as Brazil’s creative engine and main route to progression, and he faces even heavier double- and triple-team attention with the Selecao than he does at Real Madrid. For Vinícius to produce at such a high level with fewer resources—and for a player like Yamal to speak up for him—says everything. Vinícius is a top-five footballer in the world.
