A strange internet narrative, a dismissal and a lengthy disciplinary penalty have again made Vinicius Jr a major talking point just as Real Madrid enter a particularly important stretch of their campaign.
Real Madrid contract settled, but scrutiny persists
During the summer, the Brazilian’s prospects in Madrid had looked unsettled. Discussions about extending his contract had made no headway for over 18 months, while Arsenal were reportedly one of the sides monitoring his situation.
An agreement ultimately ended that uncertainty, giving the attacker better terms. However, securing his future did not bring an end to the attention surrounding him or prevent further stories from emerging.
After a cosmetic operation following the World Cup, he became the target of extraordinary online speculation alleging that a lookalike had taken his place. A more immediate sporting setback followed: his sending-off against Villarreal at the weekend brought a four-game punishment that currently excludes him from the Barcelona meeting on Sunday week.
Behind the viral speculation and arguments over that punishment lie more substantial issues. Questions now concern his performances, his conduct during matches and the state of his bond with Madrid’s fanbase.
Mourinho benches Vinicius before Villarreal
For Madrid’s opening fixture after the international window, Jose Mourinho made a significant selection call against Villarreal: the Brazilian would begin among the substitutes rather than in the starting line-up.
Not since the previous April had Vinicius been omitted from Madrid’s starters. This time, Yan Diomande received the opportunity to begin the contest instead.
Speaking before kick-off, Mourinho explained that the forward’s struggle was painful to watch precisely because he was so determined to recover his highest level. The coach described a player desperate to decide contests, find the net and influence results, whose own distress saddened him, and praised both his exceptional character and his considerable efforts to regain peak condition.
The manager also argued that the happiness Vinicius had repeatedly brought Madrid entitled him to a more sympathetic reception. Throughout this season, sections of the club’s support have greeted the Brazilian with jeers and whistles, with several team-mates receiving similar treatment.
A celebrated goal becomes a VAR dismissal
Introduced after 52 minutes, the attacker appeared to deliver an instant response. A pass from Jude Bellingham set up a finish that Madrid initially celebrated as their second goal of the match.
He dashed towards the crowd and kissed the club crest, before colleagues surrounded him and jumped onto him in a jubilant pile. Mourinho even ran onto and across the playing surface to take part, a gesture that appeared to underline his backing for the player in public.
That atmosphere vanished when VAR intervened. Called over to inspect the screen, the official saw footage of Vinicius tugging Nathan Saliba by the hair, with play continuing but neither footballer competing for possession at that moment. Instead of allowing the goal, the referee cancelled it and dismissed the Brazilian with a direct red.
His response compounded the disciplinary problem: as he persisted with his objections, fellow players had to step in. Mourinho subsequently declined interviews. Word circulating in the press room was that the coach feared any remarks he made would themselves result in a suspension.
Four-game suspension threatens El Clasico appearance
On Wednesday, with only two hours remaining before Madrid’s Champions League encounter with Roma, the disciplinary panel of Spain’s football federation announced a four-fixture ban for Vinicius.
The ruling comprised two games for pulling the opponent’s hair and another two for the protests that followed his expulsion. It sidelines him for the league meetings with Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander and Valencia. Unless an appeal alters the decision, the most prominent absence will therefore be El Clasico.
Mourinho challenged the timing rather than concealing his irritation. He questioned whether an important representative of Spanish football should learn of a four-game sanction barely two hours before a major European fixture, adding that no answer was necessary. In his view, the announcement could have waited until after the match or the following morning; instead, the team received the news on their bus, already close to the stadium.
For the Portuguese manager, the scheduling reflected insufficient respect towards Madrid. He also implied that announcing it at that particular moment was deliberate, given the difficult run of matches awaiting his side over the next few days.
Vinicius disputes the additional punishment
After Madrid defeated Roma 4-3, Vinicius discussed the episode himself. He had already used social media to apologise to his colleagues and the supporters for what had happened.
The forward said he could not recall another footballer receiving a ban lasting four games. Describing the incident, he explained that an attempt to move beyond the opponent ahead of him had ended with him taking hold of the player’s hair.
He accepted that the action warranted dismissal, but said the overall penalty had astonished him. His objection concerned the additional punishment: according to his account, he had not directed any offensive language at the referee that could justify a suspension of that length.
Roma comeback offers encouragement amid scoring drought
There was another source of frustration against Roma. With Madrid losing 3-1, Vinicius was withdrawn after 59 minutes, a decision that visibly disappointed him. Three goals late in the contest subsequently turned that two-goal deficit into a remarkable victory.
Explaining his reaction, the attacker said being unhappy about leaving the field was natural for someone who wanted to feature in every game. He nevertheless recognised his current level and understood the quality of his recent displays.
Helping the side remained his purpose, he added, and that could sometimes require making way for someone else capable of altering the course of a match. His own scoring run remains difficult: six Madrid appearances have passed without a goal, and his most recent strike was against Real Sociedad in August.
Cosmetic surgery sparks body-double conspiracy claims
Away from those footballing concerns, the 26-year-old underwent a cosmetic procedure on his chin in July. The operation, carried out after the World Cup, has since supplied material for implausible conspiracy narratives circulating online.
Visible changes to his appearance led social media users to suggest that the real Vinicius had been substituted by a double. These claims have added another unusual strand to the attention directed at him.
His private circumstances have generated coverage in Brazil as well. Reports that he had separated from Brazilian-American television figure Virginia Fonseca were a dominant topic there over the weekend.
A six-year renewal and belief in a return to form
Online audiences may keep inventing elaborate accounts of his decline, but Madrid’s task is to resolve their problems through football. Vinicius described the recovery against Roma, achieved after falling two goals behind, as a substantial lift for the whole squad.
He also promised supporters a swift return to his strongest level. Acknowledging that his present performances fell short of his best, he pointed out that he had endured more difficult periods before and had consistently defended the club despite other people’s doubts.
That loyalty, he explained, was why he had committed to another six years. He remained completely convinced that a better spell and renewed goalscoring would follow, reiterating that his role was to contribute to the team’s success.
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