Vinicius Junior caps off his best calendar year by helping Real Madrid win the Intercontinental Cup | OneFootball

It has been more than seven years since Vinicius Junior joined Real Madrid as one of the most promising youngsters at the time. He was only 18 years of age when he joined the Merengues, but with his performances for Flamengo and Brazil youth-level teams, expectations from him were already very high.

His story since joining Real Madrid in 2028 has been one of the most inspiring ones in the recent history of European football, as he has been facing immense challenges ever since this move, and has shown immense mental fortitude and determination to get over all of them.

There have been times when even the Los Blancos fans doubted his ability to remain at a club that demands the highest standards in the world of football, not only in every season but in every single match.

But these challenges have not really broken Vinicius Junior, who has contributed immensely to the recent successes enjoyed by Real Madrid, while also not giving up on his propensity to play eye-catching football, full of flicks and flair.

There is no doubt that 2024 was the best calendar year of his career so far. This incredible year was capped off with Vinicius getting his first big individual award, i.e., The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, only a day prior to winning his last trophy of the year, The Intercontinental Cup.

As has been the case for several years now, the Brazilian was once again key for Real Madrid as he put in another excellent performance, getting an assist and a goal to his name.

Overall, Vinicius scored 32 goals for Real Madrid across all competitions in 2024, while also providing 14 assists. Furthermore, he also scored two goals for his Brazilian national side in the group stage of the 2024 Copa America.

Starting from the Spanish Super Cup that he won in January, the Brazilian had a very fruitful year with Real Madrid, as he won 5 trophies in total in 2024, including the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup.

Similarly, his performances were also well recognised by the highest authorities in football. Winning The Best FIFA Men’s Player was the crowning achievement for him this year, while he also was a part of The Best FIFA Men’s 11. He was also the top scorer in the Spanish Super Cup this year.

Having successfully proven himself to be the best player for this year, the Brazilian will have even more challenges awaiting him in the years to come. Hopefully, he will continue displaying the same grit and determination he has shown up to now to overcome the odds and emerge as a player who will be remembered for generations to come.