Time for Real Madrid to sell Vinicius?

Real Madrid have just had a strange season, where familiar victories still come but many stars suddenly become obscure.

Vinicius' future is a big question mark.

Among them, Vinicius Junior is the case that causes the most headache for President Florentino Perez and Coach Xabi Alonso. The player who was once a symbol of youth, of unstoppable explosion, has now declined to the point that people have to ask: Should Real Madrid sell Vinicius this summer, when the invitation from Saudi Arabia appears once again?

Vinicius - hero or anti-hero?

Vinicius was once expected to be the leader of the new generation of Galacticos. In 2023/24, he looked unstoppable – especially in the Champions League knockout games against Bayern and Dortmund, where he wowed Europe.

But when he didn't win the Ballon d'Or, something inside Vinicius broke. He entered this season lacking the fire, lacking the obsession to win, and the result was a disappointing season.

Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo - the man in cold steel armor - or "Lord of the Rings" Raul Gonzalez Blanco - a quiet but powerful man, Vinicius is a "human" type of player. He is brave, reckless, but at the same time fragile and vulnerable. Sometimes Vinicius is as arrogant as a child, then immediately rises up strongly, sweeping away opponents with his original energy and unbelievable tenacity.

Vinicius' story was once an inspirational one. He was ridiculed and considered a living "meme" when he first arrived in Madrid. Then, with will and desire, Vinicius overcame all doubts and became Real's brightest star. But football is cruel - moments of brilliance are never long enough for a player to live on his former glory. One bad season is enough for Vinicius to become the subject of social media satire again.

Since missing the Ballon d'Or, Vinicius has lost himself.

Over the past two years, Vinicius has focused heavily on building his personal image – from his Netflix appearances, to his speeches about racism, to his flashy lifestyle. But unlike Neymar, who sells joy as a brand, or Cristiano, who creates a superhero image, Vinicius has struck a chord with the public. He doesn’t exude the free-spirited emotion of Ronaldinho, nor the bloodthirsty ferocity of Kylian Mbappe.

In believing he deserved the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius inadvertently lost the “challenger” spirit that had brought him to the top. Football does not reward people just because they deserve it, it only rewards those who constantly reinvent themselves. And this season, Vinicius has failed to do that.

Mbappe - catalyst or burden?

Mbappe's presence, instead of elevating Vinicius, seems to have left him out of place. Both are free-flowing attackers with little defensive involvement, making Real Madrid's tactical system unbalanced.

In the days of Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos, Vinicius had “hand-pickers” who showed him the way – players smart enough to create space for him. Now, with all eyes on Mbappe, Vinicius is like an outsider at a lavish party, both envious and bored.

President Florentino Perez is known for his decisiveness. He has sold the likes of Di Maria, Mesut Özil, and Casemiro to rebuild the squad. Now the question is: is it time for him to do the same with Vinicius? Saudi Arabia is calling with a huge amount of money, enough for Real Madrid to upgrade the squad, rejuvenate the dressing room, and regain their ambition.

Is it time for Real Madrid to sell Vinicius?

But selling Vinicius is not simply a financial decision. He is the symbol of the post-Ronaldo generation - a player Real Madrid have nurtured since he was 18. Selling him would mean admitting that Real Madrid cannot help the Brazilian reach his full potential. For a player still only 25, that would be a mistake.

In Xabi Alonso's hands, Real Madrid are entering a new era - where discipline and tactics will be paramount. Vinicius, if he is to survive, must change. He must learn to play simpler, less showy but more effective football, and most importantly, find the pure concentration he had when the world laughed at him.

This could be a pivotal summer for Vinicius’s career. If Real Madrid are to keep him, Xabi Alonso must transform his pupil into an “upgraded version” – not just a speedy winger, but a true attacking leader. Otherwise, he will become a pale copy of himself, swallowed up in the limelight by Mbappé.

Perhaps all Vinicius needs is a season to forget about failure. The age of social media means every mistake can be replayed like a tape, but football is not a TikTok video . It is a story of 90 minutes, of hundreds of matches, of getting up from the mud.

Real Madrid, if they are smart, will not sell a gem just because of a season of misfires. Vinicius is still a player who can change the course of a game with a moment of genius. What he needs is a patient and capable hand - and perhaps Xabi Alonso is the man to do it.

Florentino Perez may look at Vinicius and see a huge amount of money. But Real Madrid also need to remember that players like Vinicius do not arrive every summer. He is a mixture of explosiveness and fragility – a rare spice in increasingly industrialised football.

Keeping Vinicius is not just keeping a player, but also keeping a part of the soul of Real Madrid - where heroes win not only by strength, but also by the story they carry.

Source: https://znews.vn/toi-luc-real-madrid-ban-vinicius-post1570421.html