Vini Jr.’s bad performance has repercussions in the Spanish press: ‘It revives old ghosts’

Striker Vinícius Júnior was considered one of the protagonists of the 1-1 draw between Brazil and Venezuela, on Thursday, by Spanish newspapers. The Brazilian missed a penalty in the second half that could put the team back in front of the scoreboard, in the game valid for the South American Qualifiers of the 2026 World Cup. According to AS, Vini Jr. revived “old ghosts in the match”

The newspaper stated that the Brazilian was the best player in the match, but that he was unable to help the team due to an old problem: missed chances to score. Marca, a traditional Madrid newspaper, highlighted not only the missed penalty, but also the rebound, in which Vini Jr was unable to score. “He shot low, to the right of the Venezuelan goalkeeper, who saved it. But the worst came soon after, when Vini, with his left foot, shot wide, an apparently simple rebound”, criticized the newspaper.

Mundo Deportivo was more emphatic and said that the Brazilian “is also in trouble with Brazil”. The newspaper stated that the striker was decisive in the draw by missing the penalty when the game was 1-1.

But another aspect of the Real Madrid player’s performance was also highlighted. “Lately more measured in his attitudes when he plays for his club, he has once again caused a stir on the pitch with his protests to the referees and his clashes with rival footballers”, criticized the newspaper, making reference to Vini Jr’s temperament.

Mundo Deportivo also recalled that the Real striker had to be held by Raphinha in a confusion involving players from both teams in the final minutes of the match. The newspaper stated that the Brazilian is “frustrated” for not having won the Ballon d’Or and that he “still hasn’t matured in the national team”.

The missed penalty exposed the striker’s biggest problem with the national team: the lack of goals. The player has not yet scored in this edition of the Qualifiers – the last time he put a ball in the net in the competition was in 2022. For comparison purposes, Neymar, who played just four matches this year, has two goals

In 36 matches with the national team shirt, Vini Jr has only five goals and five assists, including the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 editions of the Copa América, the 2022 and 2024 World Cup Qualifiers, and friendlies.

The last goals that Vinícius Júnior scored in an official competition were in June, in the 4-1 victory over Paraguay, when he scored twice, in the Copa América. The first time the striker scored a goal for the national team was in the 2022 Qualifiers, in the 4-0 victory over Chile.

Then, in the 2022 World Cup, the striker scored a goal in the 4-1 victory over South Korea. Last year, he also put a ball in the net in the friendly against Guinea in the 4-1 victory over Brazil.