The once-lofty expectations surrounding Vinicius Jr have been firmly tempered by a disappointing 2025. Statistically, the year proved a stark contrast to 2024, when the forward was a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or. He now concludes his worst year in five as a Real Madrid player, marking the first time in four seasons he has ended a calendar year without securing any silverware.

Only fleeting glimpses were seen of the 'Vini' known for his magic, energy, directness, surprise, and effectiveness. Previously, the Brazilian had demonstrated a remarkable evolution, transforming from a flashy dribbler into a truly effective athlete with a potent knack for both scoring and creating goals – a player often considered among the world's elite. Yet, his output dramatically declined in 2025, plummeting from 32 goals and 14 assists to just 13 goals and 15 decisive passes across 61 official matches.

In fairness, a portion of this statistical alteration was anticipated. Prior to Kylian Mbappe's arrival, the Brazilian served as the primary attacking focal point, bearing the main responsibility for both shooting and scoring. With the Frenchman now in the squad, the expectation was that Vinicius would scale back his goal-scoring to concentrate more on providing assists. However, this adjustment has resulted in a mere one additional decisive pass, offset by 19 fewer goals, culminating in a significant net loss of 18 offensive contributions.

The Lowest Goal Tally Since 2020

Individually, 2025 stands as Vinicius Jr.'s least productive year in attack for Real Madrid since 2020. The player of five years prior was a markedly different prospect, then transitioning from 19 to 20 years old, and often raising more questions than providing answers. His immaturity was evident. During that period, he managed just six goals in 12 months, with his true emergence occurring slightly later, marked by a pivotal 'brace' against Liverpool at Valdebebas in April 2021. That year saw him demonstrate clear improvement under Zidane, before truly exploding under Carlo Ancelotti, elevating his statistics to 15 goals and nine assists.

In 2022, 'Vini' registered 20 goals and 14 decisive passes, accumulating 34 offensive contributions. This was followed by 19 goals and 17 assists in 2023, totalling 36, before reaching his peak of 46 in 2024, as previously noted. The Intercontinental Cup in December marked the last piece of silverware the winger lifted with the 'Blancos'. Since that triumph, the club has endured a period of title drought, leading to him being identified by some quarters as a contributing factor to the team's struggles. However, it's crucial to recall that during periods of success, he has consistently been one of the primary architects. Notably, of his 17 Champions League goals, an impressive 12 were scored in knockout stages, with two coming in the two finals he both featured in and won.

This serves as a pertinent historical reminder that Vinicius Jr. possesses significantly more potential. It would be erroneous to speak of him in the past tense at just 25 years old; he still has ample room to mature and rediscover his peak form. Amidst reported disagreements with his coach, the player has now endured a run of 14 games without finding the net. Following Rodrygo's return, he now holds the unenviable position of the team's forward with the second-longest goal drought, surpassed only by Gonzalo (18). While this figure remains distant from his personal worst of 25 in the 2020-21 season, such a prolonged scarcity of goals is undoubtedly a cause for concern.

Dribbling Decline: His Main Virtue Waning

The underlying issues extend beyond mere goal-scoring output. This discernible 'loss of sparkle' is equally apparent in his dribbling statistics. Data from BeSoccer Prime reveals that Vini Jr attempted more dribbles in 2024 (9.92 per 90 minutes) than in 2025 (9.39), and also boasted a higher success rate (4.83) compared to the year just concluded (4.5). Furthermore, he now delivers fewer chance-creating passes (0.88, down from 0.94) and makes fewer contributions into the opposition box (1.4 versus 1.78), despite paradoxically recording a slight increase in touches within the penalty area (6.42 compared to 6.27 from the previous period).

During the year's final victory against Sevilla, the Santiago Bernabeu crowd openly booed him. The Brazilian's reaction was swift and telling: he altered his Instagram profile picture, replacing his 'Merengue' jersey with that of Brazil – a poignant reflection of a world increasingly consumed by social media narratives.

While he may respond more effectively to positive reinforcement than negative, the fans have already delivered the most significant 'dressing down' he has experienced to date. On January 4, against Real Betis, Vinicius will embark on a 2026 campaign that, by all accounts, must surpass the regressive performance of 2025.

31 Oct2023	Real Madrid	-	Renewal
12 Jul2018	Flamengo	Real Madrid	€45M
08 May2017	Flamengo SP U20	Flamengo	Free transfer

Vinícius

Transfer History