Messi was wrong about Vitinha

From "extra" in the eyes of superstars to irreplaceable conductor, Vitinha is living proof that great qualities often shine in silence.

Vitinha market explodes in the 2024/25 season.

At a time when Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were still dominating the PSG dressing room like undisputed stars, Vitinha was just a name that was obscured - a young, small player who was considered "not good enough" for the Champions League level. But last night in Munich, in PSG's historic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, it was Vitinha - not any other superstar - who was the real conductor, the one who coordinated the tempo and decided the game.

From a player who was deemed "not good enough" by Messi (although he denied rumors of an argument with the Argentine legend), to where he is today - the heart of the PSG midfield that won the European Championship - Vitinha has not only proven his worth, but also raised a big question: is the football world misjudging players like him?

From "77th minute player" to the center of PSG's universe

Remember when he played for Porto, Vitinha was a “familiar substitute from the 72nd to the 77th minute”. Brought in on loan by Wolves, he played no more than 20 times, scored no goals, made no clear mark, and was quickly left behind. At that time, Vitinha was like dozens of other technical midfielders in Portuguese football: lightweight, rhythmic, but had not shown any reason to believe that he could shine in a top environment.

Wolves didn’t buy him outright – and no one blamed them. No one could have imagined he would become the core of PSG’s Champions League-winning side just three years later.

Vitinha’s success cannot be separated from Luis Enrique - who transformed him from a “transit station” into a “full-power brain” on the pitch. In the system Enrique built, Vitinha not only passed - he led, controlled, regulated, transitioned and most importantly, created tactical stability in the middle - a place where PSG had a crisis during the superstar era.

In the Champions League final victory over Inter Milan 5-0, Vitinha played the role of conductor for PSG.

Against Inter Milan, all the spotlight may have been on the goals, but it was Vitinha who changed the pace and flow of the game. The opening goal came from his incisive pass to Desiré Doue – a pass that didn’t show up on the assist sheet, but unlocked the Inter defence. For the third goal, Vitinha was responsible for a through ball that had the entire defence in stitches – a cool, killer pass that killed off any hope.

In the 2024/25 Champions League, Vitinha is the player who has passed the ball the most. He is also second in distance covered, behind only João Neves - his energetic teammate. But what sets Vitinha apart is not quantity, but quality and context: in a team with a high possession like PSG, to maintain the tempo and avoid dangerous losses of the ball, you have to deliver the right "speed-up" passes - that is an art.

Against Inter, he completed 44/46 mid-range passes - an astonishing performance at high intensity, and key to the speedy transitions PSG executed.

This shows that Vitinha is not a "background" player. He is the tactical glue, the heartbeat meter of the team. And to play in that position, it takes more than just technique - it requires a cool head, utmost confidence, and a steely will in the most nerve-wracking moments.

Lessons for English football and the indifference to the “Vitinha style”

Ironically, Wolves - a Premier League club - once had Vitinha but failed to realise his potential. But the bigger problem is not Wolves, but the English football mindset.

To this day, English football still lacks a midfielder like Vitinha: not muscular, not fast, but knows how to read the game, knows how to “calm down” the game, knows how to control space without contact. He was once considered weak, lacking “fighting” qualities. But modern football has changed: domination is no longer about muscle, but about intelligence. And Vitinha is a clear embodiment of that trend.

Vitinha is now an important factor for PSG.

While England are still struggling to find a solution in midfield - where Kalvin Phillips is fading, Henderson is getting old, and Jude Bellingham is pushed too high - just "half Vitinha" is enough to strengthen and improve the squad.

Back to the story of Vitinha, was he really scolded by Messi? That story has now become a legend, but a career always needs a "slap" - real or imagined - to motivate. From the shadow of Messi, from the skeptical looks of the French media, Vitinha has now become a truly world-class player, and PSG - for the first time in many years - does not need superstars to win.

Luis Enrique is shaping a PSG that is disciplined, structured and no longer lives for individual moments. In that squad, Vitinha is not the most prominent, but is indispensable - just like a silent cog in a German luxury car.

And in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup - where PSG will compete for the world championship at club level - Vitinha will be the name that leads the way again. Who knows, this time, he might even make Messi - if watching - smile bitterly.

5 goals of PSG in the Champions League final In the early morning of June 1, PSG rose and created the Champions League final with the biggest difference in history.

Source: https://znews.vn/messi-da-sai-ve-vitinha-post1557563.html