Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is aiming to wrap up October with his first Ballon d’Or in hand in Paris, but his month kicks off with a Champions League visit to Lille on Wednesday.
With star summer signing Kylian Mbappe recovering from a thigh injury, Vinicius has stepped up as Madrid’s primary attacking force. The reigning European champions remain unbeaten in their last 14 continental matches and are looking to build on their hard-fought win over Stuttgart in their opening match by securing a victory at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Last season, Vinicius had a slow start but found his form in the latter half of the campaign, contributing significantly to Madrid’s record-extending 15th European Cup triumph. Although they faced some early challenges figuring out how to play together, Vinicius and Mbappe seemed to be developing a strong partnership before the Frenchman’s injury.
Madrid included Mbappe in their squad for the match against Lille, but he is unlikely to start and may not play at all, as he is expected to be out until after the upcoming international break.
“We’re used to playing without (Mbappe) because last year he wasn’t here,” said manager Carlo Ancelotti on Saturday. He also expressed his belief that Vinicius deserves to be recognized as the world’s best player, saying, “I think so; he deserves it for what he did last year, for his impact in the Champions League, scoring in the semi-final and final — I think he will win. But if he doesn’t, no worries, we carry on, he’ll carry on.”
-Uncertain summer
Mbappe’s arrival at Madrid after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain raised questions about how he and Vinicius would coexist, given that both prefer to operate from the left flank. So far, Ancelotti has kept Vinicius in his preferred position, typically aligning him with Mbappe in a central role.
Vinicius faced criticism back home after underwhelming performances at the Copa America and in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. To alleviate the pressure on the forward, Brazil’s new coach Dorival Junior said last week, “We are calm and can wait for the moment when everything blossoms.”
In August, there were reports of a Saudi Pro League club making a substantial offer for Vinicius, who has not ruled out leaving Madrid. His current contract with Real Madrid runs until 2027, and the 24-year-old may reassess his options next summer.
For now, however, he is focused on propelling his team forward both in Europe and domestically, and he is starting to hit his stride on the pitch. After scoring two goals in his first seven appearances for Madrid across all competitions, Vinicius came off the bench to score and help the team rally from behind to defeat Espanyol 4-1 in La Liga on September 21. He also assisted Rodrygo for a goal in that match and set up Lucas Vazquez for another in the 3-2 victory against Alaves.
Madrid outplayed their rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday, with Vinicius providing the assist for Eder Militao’s opening goal. Although the match ended in a 1-1 draw, Los Blancos are now just three points behind league leaders Barcelona.
Ancelotti replaced Mbappe with Luka Modric against Atletico in a 4-4-2 formation but might switch back to a 4-3-3 setup for the match against Lille, with Vinicius’ compatriot Endrick vying for a starting position. Mbappe’s younger brother, Ethan, 17, who joined Lille this summer after leaving PSG, is injured and will miss the match.
