Vinícius Júnior Brazilian Footballer Born in 2000

Early life

Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior was born on 12 July 2000 in São Gonçalo, Brazil. His football path began in 2006, when his father took him to the Flamengo branch office in his neighbourhood. Between 2007 and 2010 he attended futsal classes at the club's school in São Gonçalo. In August 2010 he tried out for the Flamengo youth team and accepted a place in its football program. To shorten the trip to the club's training centre, he later lived with an uncle in the Abolição district of Rio de Janeiro.

Career

Vinícius was part of Brazil's winning squad at the 2015 South American Under-15 Championship, where he was named player of the tournament. In 2017 he helped Brazil win the South American Under-17 Championship, finishing as top scorer with seven goals and being named the competition's best player.

He made his senior debut for Flamengo on 13 May 2017, coming on as a substitute in a league match against Atlético Mineiro. On 10 August 2017 he scored his first professional goal, in a Copa Sudamericana match against Palestino. A few days after his debut, Real Madrid agreed to sign him, with the move taking effect after his 18th birthday in July 2018.

He joined Real Madrid in 2018, spent a short time with the reserve side Real Madrid Castilla, and made his first-team debut on 29 September 2018. His first goal came on 3 November 2018 against Real Valladolid. His season ended in March 2019 with a torn ligament. He won La Liga in 2019-20 and scored in El Clásico against Barcelona in March 2020.

The 2021-22 season marked his rise to a regular starting place. He scored his first hat-trick for the club in May 2022 and then scored the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool, giving Real Madrid a record 14th European title. He finished that season with 22 goals in all competitions. In February 2023 he scored twice in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup against Al-Hilal. From the 2023-24 season he wore the number 7 shirt, and in October 2023 his contract was extended to 2027.

In January 2024 he scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final. He scored in the 2024 Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, his second goal in a final of the competition, and became the youngest player to score in two such finals. In December 2024 he scored in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final. On 22 January 2025 he scored his 100th and 101st goals for the club. In August 2026 he extended his contract until 30 June 2032.

For Brazil, he received his first senior call-up in February 2019 and made his debut in September 2019. He played in the 2021 Copa America, where Brazil finished as runners-up, and in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored against South Korea in the round of 16. He first captained the national team in March 2024 and played at the 2024 Copa America. In May 2026 he was named in Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup, and scored his tenth international goal in his fiftieth appearance in the opening game against Morocco.

Recognition

Vinícius was named The Best FIFA Men's Player for 2024 and finished second in the 2024 Ballon d'Or voting. He was UEFA Champions League Player of the Season in 2023-24, and the first winner of the competition's young player award in 2021-22. He appeared in the FIFPRO World 11 in 2023 and 2024. With Real Madrid he has won La Liga three times and the Champions League twice. He received the Socrates Award at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony for his humanitarian work.

Public roles

In 2021 he founded the Instituto Vini Jr., which helps Brazilian children and teenagers from disadvantaged areas gain access to school through sport and technology. In June 2023 the FIFA president selected him to lead a special anti-racism committee made up of players, after he spoke out publicly against racist abuse he had faced in Spanish stadiums. In 2024 UNESCO appointed him Goodwill Ambassador for Education for All, making him the second footballer after Pele to hold that role. A Netflix documentary about his life and career, titled Vini Jr, was released in May 2025. He is also an owner of the Portuguese club Alverca.