Every Record Vinicius Junior Holds

Vinicius Junior is the best footballer in the world. The world-class Brazilian winger continues to defy logic for Real Madrid, often carrying the side on his back during the greatest months and the worst. He’s a reliable and consistent output on the left flank, helping them win the greatest trophies.

He is all but guaranteed to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or – the first one in his career – and there can be very few disputes over the decision. Vinicius scored in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, coming at the end of a season where he picked up 21 goal contributions in 26 La Liga matches.

With the 24-year-old still having years at his peak ahead of him, we have decided to outline every record the Brazilian holds. Some are legendary, whilst others are more niche. They all count the same, though, with Vinicius already cementing his place in immortality.

Fastest goal by a Substitute in Champions League History

21st October 2020

To begin, it’s certainly an obscure record to hold, but Vinicius scored the fastest goal by a Champions League substitute ever at the start of the 2020/21 season. With matches behind closed doors, the backdrop was certainly unique, but the Brazilian made an instant impact during a group stage match against Shakhtar.

Just 14 seconds after coming on, he immediately dispossessed a Shakhtar defender, drove into the final third and placed a composed effort into the bottom, left corner. It foreshadowed his future at Real Madrid; very few players would have been able to pull off a finish like that. The previous record (15 seconds) was jointly shared by Lars Ricken and Andy van der Meyde.

Remarkably, Vinicius’ goal did not mean much on the night. His goal halved the hosts’ deficit from 3-1 to 3-2 after they were 3-0 down at half-time. Tete broke the deadlock after 29 minutes, Raphael Varane’s own goal put the Ukrainian outfit 2-0 up and Manor Solomon then put the visitors into dreamland at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano by adding a third goal before the break. That was enough to score victory during a match where Vinicius became a record-breaker.

Longest Streak of Champions League Goal Contributions in Consecutive Starts

9th May 2023

Manchester City won the 2023 Champions League, beating Real Madrid in the semi-finals on their way to victory. However, during the first leg of the tense occasion, Vinicius also equalled a record jointly held by one of the greatest players of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Vinicius gave the hosts the lead early on, driving into the final third and firing a stunning powerful effort past Ederson from the edge of the box. It was his 11th goal contribution in 11 consecutive matches, with the streak starting during the 2022 Champions League final. It ended during the first leg, so the Brazilian was never able to become the out-right holder, but he could do so in the coming years if his form is anything to go by.

Most Goals in the El Clasico by a Brazilian

22nd April 2024

While El Clasico is most famous for the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Ronaldo over the years, several legendary Brazilians have also played in the iconic fixture. R9 Ronaldo, Neymar and Ronaldinho have all shown their elegance in the fixture before.

However, all of them have been toppled by Vinicius, who is the highest-scoring Brazilian in the fixture’s history. His goal during their La Liga match in April 2024 was his seventh strike in the fixture’s history, one ahead of Evaristo and Ronaldo, who both uniquely played for both sides. The Brazilian equalised from the spot during the record-breaking occasion, with Real Madrid eventually going on to win 3-2 and all but seal the title. A perfect way to cap off a memorable moment.

3:23

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Most Champions League Knockout Goal Contributions Before Turning 24

1st June 2024

The 2023 Champions League final was billed as a match by the serial winners and the underdogs. Real Madrid were under pressure to deliver against Borussia Dortmund, a struggling side who somehow reached the final. They had not won the competition since 1997 either.

At first, it seemed like the German side were going to cause an upset, but Real Madrid eventually pulled through to win 2-0. Vinicius sealed victory with their second goal – and, in doing so, he equalled the record for the most knockout goal contributions in the competition before turning 24.

The Brazilian had been directly involved in 22 goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League (11 goals, 11 assists). Messi, seen by most as the greatest Barcelona player of all time, also picked up 22 before turning 24. Vinicius is in esteemed company — and that only speaks volumes about how talented the winger is.

Youngest Player to Score in Two Champions League Finals

1st June 2024

In the same match, Vinicius also became the youngest-ever player to score in two Champions League finals. His goal to seal victory came two years after his first strike in one of the sport’s greatest matches – against Liverpool in 2022. On that occasion, it was the only goal of the game as Madrid walked away with a 1-0 victory.

His strike against Dortmund beat the record by 14 days, previously held by Messi as well. Considering he only turned 24 in the summer of 2024 as well, it feels incredibly likely that the Brazilian will score in another final as well; he’s well-known for shining under pressure, after all.

By scoring against the Bundesliga side, Vinicius also became just the fifth player to score goals in his first two Champions League finals after Samuel Eto’o, Sergio Ramos, Messi, and Mario Mandzukic. He also entered the top 25 of all-time leading scorers for Real Madrid (with 83 goals) and equalled Carlos Santillana and Amancio Amaro in seventh place as the top scorer for the club in the Champions League. World-class.

Records Vinicius Previously Held

However, there are also some records which Vinicius previously held, but they have since been beaten. It takes nothing away from his talent, yet it goes to show that he will always have competition at the pinnacle of the sport. Football has never been more competitive.

Most expensive transfer for a player aged 18

Vinicius joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 from Brazilian giants Flamengo. The fee, believed to be just over £38m, made him the most expensive 18-year-old in football at the time, alongside teammate Rodrygo. It seemed reasonable for a player of his talent and potential – and the Galacticos knew they were getting a player who would become a world-beater.

However, the record for the most expensive transfer involving an 18-year-old has since been beaten, with Endrick’s move from Palmeiras believed to be costing Real Madrid £40m. Now a teammate with Vinicius, he will be able to learn from the world’s best winger on a regular basis. It’s big boots to fill, though.

Youngest Player in the 21st century to Score in the El Clasico

When Vinicius scored against Barcelona in March 2020 to help them on their way to a 2-0 victory, he broke the record. Aged 19 years and 233 days, the Brazilian became the youngest player to score in El Clasico in the 21st century. It wasn’t even the prettiest goal either, with the winger cutting in from the left and firing a deflected strike into the back of the net.

However, since then, two players have beaten his record. Gavi, aged 18 years, 163 days, and Ansu Fati, aged 17 years, 359 days, have shone on the world’s biggest stage. However, Vinicius has definitely been more consistent than the Barcelona duo, shining regularly in the Champions League.