🏆 Ballon d'OneFootball: And in 15th place is ... | OneFootball

Welcome to the third annual edition of the Ballon d’OneFootball as we continue our countdown of the top 25 players in the world.

Click right here to see the full list so far.

And today we have …

15th: Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid and Brazil

(New entry)

After four years at Real Madrid, Vinícius Júnior is finally living up to the heavy expectations placed on him when he joined the club for a reported €45 million.

Arriving from Flamengo in 2018, the Brazilian was deemed the future of Los Blancos’ attack but he didn’t always impress after his move to Madrid.

With the big responsibility that comes with wearing the white kit, the struggle to make an impact off the hop led to criticism and questions marks over whether the wonderkid could rise to the occasion. Until now.

So far this season Vinícius has clicked into gear, filling a lofty role as a vital member of an ageing squad despite being just 21 years old.

As one half of the Real Madrid duo terrorising defences across Europe, he has shown the footballing world the perfect combination of speed, creativity, and most notably, composure in front of goal.

He’s not afraid to run at players — a huge weapon for any forward — and causes defenders headaches with the mixture of nutmegs and step-overs that he combines with his lightning-quick pace.

Dribbling through crowded areas and creating space out of nothing, the Brazilian is not afraid to attempt the audacious. He is explosive and he keeps everyone guessing.

All that has seen him net 17 goals so far this season, delivering crucial performances against Valencia, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

He is now on track to crack into the club’s top 50 goalscorers of all time, needing just seven more. That mark is within sight this season with 10 LaLiga matches to play and potentially another five if Real Madrid reach the Champions League final.

Those would take him beyond Álvaro Morata (level on 31), Robinho (34) and Ángel Di María (36), adding to the impressive collection of names he has surpassed for the club like David Beckham (20) and Kaká (29).

And that’s not all — his 37 assists (14 this season) prove he does not only finish moves off but also provides for his team-mates.

At this rate he is on course to become a club legend. Nobody is wondering if Florentino Pérez’s transfer gamble paid off anymore.

On this form, you have to fancy his chances of becoming crucial for Brazil as well.

With his latest performances, Tite may be inclined to hand the youngster more opportunities and with the World Cup just eight months away Vinícius could make a big statement on the biggest stage of them all.

Click right here to see the full list so far.