Vinicius Jr. starred in Real Madrid’s win over Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup last night, helping the team to a 3-0 win and being named the man of the match in the process.
The Brazilian superstar even scored the team’s third goal at Lusail Stadium from the penalty spot and racked up two key passes, created one big chance, and had three shots on target for Los Blancos.
It was the perfect way to carry forward his sensational week so far with him winning the FIFA Best Mens Player award earlier this week as well.
Vinicius talks to the media
Speaking to the media after his man-of-the-match performance against Pachuca, Vinicius gave his thoughts on various topics including his personal feelings, his teammates, and the team’s positive growth.
“It’s been a beautiful week, really special for me. This is for all the players who have played with me since I was a kid, and especially for Real Madrid,” he began, also referring to the award he won earlier this week.
“They’ve done everything for me, they give me freedom and help me every day to do great things for the team and for this great club. I hope we can continue like this for a long time,” he added.
Speaking on being snubbed of the Ballon d’Or and whether it hurt him, he maturely said,
“I have been calm ever since I was able to give my family a better life. I arrived at Real Madrid, the best club in the world, and I was undermined for a long time. I never let my head drop, I just kept working hard.”
“An award in which people chose not to vote for me won’t change what I think or what my teammates tell me every day. I’m here to play for them and do my best for this jersey, the greatest in the world,” he added.
Realtionship with Mbappe
The FIFA The Best winner also commented on his relationship with Kylian Mbappe and sent out a message to the Frenchman.
“I’m a huge fan of his. I sent him loads of messages because I always dreamed of playing with him, he’s a fantastic player. We’ve admired each other for a long time.”
“We have a wonderful group, we all love each other very much, there’s no vanity here. We’re here to put Real Madrid at the top, where it should always be,” he elaborated.
Vinicius then revealed the effect of winning a title on the dressing room in terms of it being a confidence booster.
“Every game we play, we play to win, especially when it’s a final. We always want to be at the top. Today’s is not just any trophy, we’ve been crowned the best club in the world.”
“I hope we can keep it up for a long time to come and continue making history in these colors,” he added.
Defining an era
The Brazilian superstar was then quizzed on whether he believed the team could define an era in the sport, to which he said,
“I think so. The team has lived up to what history demands of them, which is winning big titles. Not any player can wear this jersey, they don’t all get the chance to play for the best team in the world.”
“We’re the chosen ones, it’s a unique feeling very few players have been able to enjoy,” he continued.
Finally, Vinicius heaped praise on Jude Bellingham who has returned to his best version in recent weeks but appeared injured close to full-time and was taken off.
“He was able to play almost the entire match. I haven’t had the chance to speak with him yet, we won’t stop until we’re on the plane now.”
“I hope it’s nothing and he’s fit for the next game against Sevilla at home,” he added.
Source: Real Madrid website
